Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wilksville, Ohio 45695
Monday, December 16, 1991 16:10 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT, IN AN EXPERIMENTALLY CERTIFIED AIRPLANE, WHEN THE CRANKCASE BREATHER WHICH WAS NOT PRESSURIZED WITH A WHISTLE SLOT FROZE UP. THE CRANKCASE PRESSURIZED AND THE CRANKCASE SEAL WAS DISLODGED. THE PILOT MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN A FIELD OF LIMITED SIZE, SURROUNDED BY TREES. DUE TO THE RESTRICTED VIIBILITY OF THE PILOT, WITH OIL ON HIS GOGGLES AND WINDSHIELD, HE STRUCK A TREE ON FINAL AND MADE AN UNCONTROLLED TOUCHDOWN IN THE FIELD. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THERE IS A REQUIREMENT OF A WHISTLE SLOT ON NORMAL, UTILITY, ACROBATIC, AND COMMUTER CATEGORY AIRPLANES, HOWEVER, THIS REQUIREMENT DOES NOT EXIST FOR EXPERIMENTAL CATEGORY AIRPLANES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE RESTRICTED VISIBILITY OF THE PILOT DUE TO OIL ON THE WINDSHIELD AND HIS GOGGLES, WHICH RESULTED IN A TREE STRIKE AND UNCONTROLLED TOUCHDOWN, DURING THE EXECUTION OF A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE A CLOGGED CRANKCASE BREATHER TUBE, THE LACK OF A WHISTLE SLOT ON THE CRANKCASE BREATHER TUBE, AND THE TREES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/16/1991
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1610
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City WILKSVILLE
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 45695
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1600 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 230
Weather Observation Facility ID HTS
Elevation of weather observation facility 828
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 50
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1895
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45834
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:54AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9601
NTSB Number NYC92DEG01
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name DEVENPORT
Aircraft Model EAA BIPLANE
Aircraft Series Identifier EAA BIPLAN
Aircraft Serial Number 1
Certified Max Gross Weight 1163
Aircraft Category Airplane
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 24 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 70
Airframe Hours 185
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JACK F. HOLGATE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 205 RAY BRIDGE DR.
Aircraft Owner City WATTIESBURG
Aircraft Owner State MS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 39402
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JACK F. HOLGATE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 205 RAY BRIDGE DR.
Operator City WATTIESBURG
Operator State MS
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 39402
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 LOZ
Departure City LONDON
Departure State KY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1320
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code UNI
Destination City ATHENS
Destination State OH
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --