Private Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lawrence, Kansas 66046
Sunday, January 14, 1990 16:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE COMMERCIAL PILOT SAID THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND HIS HOMEBUILT BIPLANE ON HIS PRIVATE STRIP, HE WAS BLINDED BY THE SETTING SUN AND FAILED TO CLEAR A TREE ON FINAL APPROACH. THE ACFT'S RIGHT WING STRUCK THE TREE, WHICH CAUSED THE ACFT TO YAW TO THE RIGHT & CRASH. THE PLT SUFFERED A DAMAGED VERTEBRA, WHICH REQUIRED SURGERY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT MISJUDGED CLEARANCE FROM TREE(S) NEAR THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY, WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: SUNGLARE, LACK OF VISUAL CUES TO THE PILOT, AND TREE(S).

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/14/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City LAWRENCE
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 66046
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 PRIVATE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 100
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1345 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID IXD
Elevation of weather observation facility 1080
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 Serious
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 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 62
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 17 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1420
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40633
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:44PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4GB
NTSB Number MKC90LA047
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 BURNETT
Aircraft Model STARDUSTER TOO
Aircraft Series Identifier STARDUSTER
Aircraft Serial Number 100
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 130
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BURNETT, HOWARD G
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 3467
Aircraft Owner City LAWRENCE
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 66046
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LBURNETT, HOWARD G.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4541 BROADMOOR DRIVE
Operator City LAWRENCE
Operator State KS
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 66047
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 LWC
Departure City LAWRENCE
Departure State KS
Departure Country
Departure Time 1625
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --