Watervliet Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Watervliet, Michigan 49098
Friday, August 27, 1999 20:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said that during takeoff, the airplane bounced 2-3 times on the runway, and then the landing gear and propeller broke. The passenger on board the airplane stated that 'upon liftoff, the airplane ballooned off of the runway. We came back down and bounced once, kind of porpoised twice, and came back down, and the landing gear collapsed.' Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot not maintaining aircraft control during takeoff, and the pilot not correcting for the porpoise.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/27/1999
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2015
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WATERVLIET
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49098
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WATERVLIET MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 40C
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 656
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1953 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 245
Weather Observation Facility ID BEH
Elevation of weather observation facility 643
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1780
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 770
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 26 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2028
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:49AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9404E
NTSB Number CHI99LA318
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 Aeronca
Aircraft Model 11BC
Aircraft Series Identifier 11BC
Aircraft Serial Number 1041
Certified Max Gross Weight 1250
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 Jul 18 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 21
Airframe Hours 2559
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VAGABOND CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address 217 W CLAY STREET
Aircraft Owner City NEW BUFFALO
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49117
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 40C
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2015
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 2
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --