Converse County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Douglas, Wyoming 82633
Monday, June 4, 1990 11:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN COMPLETELY RECOVERED WITH NEW FABRIC AND THE PILOT WAS GOING TO FERRY IT BACK TO HIS RANCH. WITNESSES SAID THE PILOT DID NOT PERFORM A PREFLIGHT CHECK. THE AIRPLANE TOOK OFF, CLIMBED TO AN ALTITUDE OF 15 TO 30 FEET, THEN BANKED STEEPLY TO THE RIGHT AND CRASHED. EXAMINATION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM DISCLOSED THE AILERON CONTROL CABLES HAD BEEN INADVERTENTLY CROSSED DURING REASSEMBLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE ACCIDENT TO BE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF AILERON CONTROL SYSTEM BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, AND FAILURE TO PERFORM AN AIRCRAFT PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/4/1990
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City DOUGLAS
Event State WYOMING
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 82633
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CONVERSE COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DGW
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 4929
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1150 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 265
Weather Observation Facility ID CPR
Elevation of weather observation facility 5348
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 48
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 32
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 37
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 7501
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
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 --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 628
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 4 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1245
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41632
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4720A
NTSB Number DEN90LA123
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-18-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18-150
Aircraft Serial Number 18-4941
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
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 Jun 1 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3078
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NORMAN RANCH CO.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1290
Aircraft Owner City ROZET
Aircraft Owner State WY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NORMAN RANCH COMPANY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 1290
Operator City ROZET
Operator State WY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 82727
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 DGW
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City ROZET
Destination State WY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 28
Runway Length 6750
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --