Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Lafayette, Indiana 47901
Wednesday, July 26, 2000 20:05 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane was performing high-speed taxi test when the airplane became airborne and entered a normal traffic pattern. A witness to the accident reported that the airplane flew an extended downwind with no anomalies noted. The witness stated that when the airplane was turning to final approach he heard a reduction in engine power and noticed the aircraft had a high rate of descent. The witness reported that the airplane descended into some trees located approximately 2,500-feet from the end of the runway. The aircraft had been issued an airworthiness certificate on the day of the accident and was on its first flight. Post-accident investigation revealed no anomalies with the airframe, including its flight control systems, which could be associated with any preexisting condition. Post-accident investigation of the aircraft engine, a Hirthmotoren 270CE180, serial number 895596, revealed that the piston of the rear cylinder had seized during the flight. Visual inspection of the piston and ring assembly revealed the piston skirt had been exposed to higher than normal operating temperatures and that the rings were seized in their respective groves. There was evidence of metal transfer from the piston onto the cylinder bore.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Aircraft control not being maintained by the pilot during the forced landing. Factors to the accident were the engine failure due to an overtemperature, the pilot's lack of familiarity with the aircraft, and the trees.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/26/2000 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 2005 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | LAFAYETTE |
| Event State | INDIANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 47901 |
| 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 | 1954 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 260 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | LAF |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 606 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 8 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| 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) | 77 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 63 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 200 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1819 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| 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) | 11187 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 26 2000 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2233 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 18 2001 1:05PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N9034L |
| NTSB Number | CHI00LA226 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Halsmer |
| Aircraft Model | CRAZY 8 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | CRAZY 8 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 001 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 0 |
| 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 | -- |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 26 2000 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 0 |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | NATHANIEL J. HALSMER |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 5031 S 575 E |
| Aircraft Owner City | LAFAYETTE |
| Aircraft Owner State | IN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 47905 |
| 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 | IN12 |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 2000 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| 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 | Approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 1 2001 4:45AM |
| 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 | -- |