Lake Village Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lake Village, Indiana 46349
Wednesday, January 24, 1990 13:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT CRASHED WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO LANDING. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE RIGHT WING TO FOLD IN FLIGHT AND THE AIRCRAFT TUMBLE END OVER END TO THE GROUND. INVESTIGATION REVEALED COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE RIGHT WING SPAR.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IN-FLIGHT STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF THE RIGHT WING SPAR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/24/1990
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City LAKE VILLAGE
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46349
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LAKE VILLAGE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID C98
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 644
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1245 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID GYY
Elevation of weather observation facility 591
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 27
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
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) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
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) 0
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 974
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 24 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1320
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42145
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number NONE
NTSB Number CHI90DET03
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 PTERODACTYL
Aircraft Model ASCENDER II+2
Aircraft Series Identifier ASCENDER I
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Not Registered
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNKNOWN
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MACMILLEN, JAMES W.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3948 WEST 101ST PLACE
Operator City CHICAGO
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 60642
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 C98
Departure City LAKE VILLAGE
Departure State IN
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Landing
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 36
Runway Length 2480
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --