Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Greenfield, Indiana 46140
Monday, September 6, 1999 11:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was flying the airplane on the first flight after an annual inspection to assure the airplane was operating properly. He reported the engine began losing power during the flight. Unable to maintain altitude the pilot made a forced landing in a corn field. Post accident inspection revealed the quick drain oil plug in the bottom of the oil sump was missing and oil exhaustion had occurred.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

improper installation of the oil quick drain plug which resulted in oil exhaustion to the engine. A factor was the corn crop encountered during the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/6/1999
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City GREENFIELD
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46140
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 9
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 771
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 6 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2126
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:54AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N25WL
NTSB Number CHI99LA319
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 VAN GROUW
Aircraft Model WHITE LIGHTNING
Aircraft Series Identifier WHITE LIGH
Aircraft Serial Number 215
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 16 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 778
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JACKSON FIELDS AND MATTHEWS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6505 W. US 40
Aircraft Owner City GREENFIELD
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46140
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILL W. MATHEWS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RR 15, BOX 274
Operator City BEDFORD
Operator State IN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 47421
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 MQJ
Departure City INDIANAPOLIS
Departure State IN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1020
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 Cruise
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 --