Staples Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Staples, Minnesota 56479
Saturday, June 29, 1991 20:05 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES REPORTED THEY WATCHED THE ULTRALIGHT TAKE OFF AND NOTED THE ELEVATOR OSCILLATING RAPIDLY, 'FLUTTERING.' THEY STATED THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO ABOUT 200 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND (AGL), THEN THE PILOT BEGAN A TURN BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT. ACCORDING TO ONE WITNESS: 'THE AIRPLANE STALLED, WENT INTO A SPIN AND CRASHED.' THE ULTRALIGHT IMPACTED TERRAIN IN A MARSHY AREA LESS THAN ONE MILE FROM THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE TRIM TAB CONTROL CABLE HAD UNSPOOLED FROM THE TRIM TAB WHEEL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE DISCONNECTED ELEVATOR TRIM CABLE. RELATED FACTORS ARE THE INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE/INSTALLATION, AND THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/29/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2005
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City STAPLES
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56479
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport STAPLES
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SAZ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 310
Airport Elevation 1285
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 50 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 85
Weather Observation Facility ID BRD
Elevation of weather observation facility 1226
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 33
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2674
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2094
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46590
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:18AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N503BP
NTSB Number CHI91DER10
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Kolb Company
Aircraft Model TWINSTAR MK II
Aircraft Series Identifier TWINSTAR M
Aircraft Serial Number TS223
Certified Max Gross Weight 385
Aircraft Category Ultralight
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 19 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 20
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM T. POAGE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 123 CLEVELAND SW
Aircraft Owner City STAPLES
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 56479
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILLIAM T. POAGE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 123 CLEVELAND SW
Operator City STAPLES
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 56479
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2005
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 10 2002 4:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32
Runway Length 3304
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --