Bowstring Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Deer River, Minnesota 56636
Saturday, June 9, 1990 12:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PVT PILOT SAID THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, AT ABOUT 150 AGL, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO MISFIRE. HE LOWERED THE NOSE AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN NORMALLY, SO HE RE-ESTABLISHED A CLIMB, THEN THE ENGINE QUIT. HE DECIDED TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY AND LAND, BUT SAID THAT HIS AIRSPEED WAS TOO SLOW, AND THE ACFT ENTERED A SPIN. PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE TERRAIN, THE ACFT FLARED AND HIT THE GROUND IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE. SHORTLY AFTER, THE AIRCRAFT CAUGHT ON FIRE AND WAS DESTROYED. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE THOUGHT HE HAD ABOUT 3 1/2 GALLONS ON FUEL ON BOARD PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. WITNESSES SAID THAT THERE WAS ABOUT 1500 FEET OF USABLE RUNWAY LEFT, WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AIRSPEED NOT MAINTAINED AND STALL/SPIN ENCOUNTERED BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/9/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DEER RIVER
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56636
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 BOWSTRING
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 9YO
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 1372
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1145 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 110
Weather Observation Facility ID GPZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 1355
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
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) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 664
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 9 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41668
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N83555
NTSB Number MKC90LA121
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AERONCA
Aircraft Model 7AC
Aircraft Series Identifier 7AC
Aircraft Serial Number 7AC-2230
Certified Max Gross Weight 1220
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RHOADES, WAYNE A.
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 424
Aircraft Owner City MAX
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1228
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 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 27
Runway Length 2398
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --