Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Capron, Illinois 61012
Saturday, July 8, 2000 18:55 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot attempted an aerobatic roll maneuver at an altitude lower than 100 feet above ground level and impacted the terrain at the completion of the maneuver. No anomalies with the aircraft or its engine could be associated to any pre-impact condition. According to the Bellanca 8KCAB Owner Manual, "Remember, altitude is your best insurance when doing aerobatics. According to Federal Aviation Regulations, the minimum legal altitude for aerobatics is 1500 feet AGL. Keep in mind that 1500 feet is therefore the minimum recovery altitude from any inadvertent maneuver and that 1000 feet of altitude can often be lost in a three-turn spin." 14 CFR Part 91.303, entitled "Aerobatic Flight", states that no person may operate an aircraft in aerobatic flight below an altitude below 1,500 feet above ground level. 14 CFR Part 91.303 further states, "For the purposes of this section, aerobatic flight means an intentional maneuver involving an abrupt change in an aircraft's attitude, an abnormal attitude, or abnormal acceleration, not necessary for normal flight."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot attempting an aerobatic maneuver at a low altitude and the pilot not maintaining clearance from the terrain. A factor to the accident was the pilot disregarding the federal aviation regulations concerning the minimum altitudes required for aerobatic operations.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/8/2000
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1855
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Capron
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 61012
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 7
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1854 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID RFD
Elevation of weather observation facility 742
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.02
Density Altitude (feet) 2354
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11361
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 8 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2050
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 5 2002 9:58AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8739V
NTSB Number CHI00FA186
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bellanca
Aircraft Model 8KCAB
Aircraft Series Identifier 8KCAB
Aircraft Serial Number 198-75
Certified Max Gross Weight 1800
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 Feb 25 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 38.5
Airframe Hours 1076
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Owl Aviation Services, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3511 Silverside Road, STE 105
Aircraft Owner City Willmington
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19810
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 PVT
Departure City Capron
Departure State IL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code PVT
Destination City Capron
Destination State IL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jan 17 2002 9:32AM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --