Porter County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Valparaiso, Indiana 46383
Sunday, August 11, 1991 13:40 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING INITIAL CLIMB THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. WHILE IN A TURN TO AN EMERGENCY LANDING AREA THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND ENTERED A SPIN IMPACTING THE TERRAIN. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION FOUND A FOREIGN SUBSTANCE BLOCKING THE MAIN METERING ORIFICE IN THE CARBURETOR WHICH HAD MIGRATED FROM A MISSING GASKET ON THE DRAIN PLUG. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE HAD USED A SUBSTITUTE MATERIAL FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE MISSING GASKET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING WAS IMPROPER MAINTENANCE (DESIGN CHANGE) PERFORMED BY AN UNQUALIFIED PERSON (PILOT IN COMMAND).

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/11/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1340
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City VALPARAISO
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46383
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PORTER COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID VPZ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 770
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1250 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 50
Weather Observation Facility ID SBN
Elevation of weather observation facility 790
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 447
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43733
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:38AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N45WB
NTSB Number CHI91LA256
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name LUSCOMBE
Aircraft Model 8E
Aircraft Series Identifier 8E
Aircraft Serial Number 4457
Certified Max Gross Weight 1400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
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 May 23 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 23
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM F. BOKODI
Aircraft Owner Street Address 820 NORTH CLINE AVE.
Aircraft Owner City GRIFFITH
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46319
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILLIAM F. BOKODI
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 820 NORTH CLINE AVE.
Operator City GRIFFITH
Operator State IN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 46319
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 No
Departure Airport Code VPZ
Departure City VALPARAISO
Departure State IN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1340
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 0SC
Destination City GRIFFITH
Destination State IN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 6000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --