Sparta Community Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sparta, Illinois 62286
Saturday, August 28, 1999 15:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was taking-off from a clear-way between a runway and taxiway and when at approximately 50-75 feet above ground level (agl) he noted that the airplane was not accelerating and, '... a very small descent rate was felt.' The pilot stated that he elected to land and the airplane touched down approximately abeam the taxiway entrance at the north end of the airport. The pilot reported that he was going to overrun the end of the runway and that there was a ditch off the end of the runway so he, '...tried to lift the airplane over the ditch.' After the second touchdown, the aircraft began to track to the left and the left wingtip contacted the terrain. The pilot did not report any engine anomalies occurring prior to and during the accident sequence. The pilot stated that using, '...full length of the takeoff runway [clearway] and maintain runway centerline throughout the departure' could have prevented the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's decision not to use all of the available. A factor to the accident was the ditch.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/28/1999
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1510
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SPARTA
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 62286
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 SPARTA COMMUNITY AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SAR
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 538
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1455 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID BLV
Elevation of weather observation facility 453
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2345
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) 1164
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 8 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 23 2001 9:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4752V
NTSB Number CHI99LA330
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 Boeing Stearman
Aircraft Model E75
Aircraft Series Identifier E-75
Aircraft Serial Number 75-5507
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 21 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 12000
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VERNON EDWIN DURY
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 302
Aircraft Owner City AVA
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 62907
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 SAR
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1510
Departure Time Zone CST
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 Dec 9 2002 10:31AM
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 --