Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Scranton, North Dakota 58653
Monday, April 23, 1990 19:55 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON A PERSONAL PLEASURE FLT FROM HIS FARM AIRSTRIP, THE PLT LOST CONTROL OF HIS ACFT AND CRASHED INTO A FIELD. THE PLT AND PAX WERE FATALLY INJURED, AND THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED. THERE WAS NO FIRE. FAA RECORDS DOCUMENTED THAT THE ACFT REGISTRATION HAD BEEN RETURNED APX 9 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT STATING THAT THE ACFT HAD BEEN DESTROYED/SCRAPPED. THE PLT WAS NON CURRENT ON HIS MEDICAL AND BIENNIAL FLT REVIEW AND THE ACFT WAS OUT OF ANNUAL. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT AND RECORDS REVEALED POOR ACFT CONDITION MAKING IT UNAIRWORTHY, AND THE USE OF AUTO FUEL WITH NO CONVERSION. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND INDICATING MATERIAL CONDITION AS A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT FACTOR IN THAT HE FAILED TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL WHILE PERFORMING AN INFLIGHT MANEUVER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/23/1990
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1955
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City SCRANTON
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58653
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 4
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 45
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 179
NTSB Notification Source
NTSB Notification Date Apr 24 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 540
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40899
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:53PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2911Z
NTSB Number DEN90FA099
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-22-160
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22-160
Aircraft Serial Number 226881
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Not Registered
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 10 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 54
Airframe Hours 2230
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID J RUGGLES
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR1 BOX 111A
Aircraft Owner City SCRANTON
Aircraft Owner State ND
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RUGGLES, DAVID J.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RR1 BOX 111A
Operator City SCRANTON
Operator State ND
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 58653
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
Departure City GASCOYNE
Departure State ND
Departure Country
Departure Time 1900
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 3 2001 9:58AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --