Shenandoah Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Shenandoah, Iowa 51601
Friday, July 27, 1990 18:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE STATED THAT HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL JUST AFTER THE TAIL STARTED TO LIFT OFF DURING A TAKEOFF GROUND RUN. THE AIRPLANE LEFT THE RUNWAY, ROLLED INTO A DITCH, AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT HAS A TOTAL OF TWENTY-TWO HOURS OF EXPERIENCE IN TAIL WHEEL AIRPLANES. SIXTEEN OF THOSE HOURS WERE IN THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT IS THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF AIRCRAFT INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/27/1990
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1815
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SHENANDOAH
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 51601
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SHENANDOAH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SDA
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 970
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1087
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 30 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42307
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N41FJ
NTSB Number CHI90DCD01
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 FINN A. ARNOLD
Aircraft Model GLASSAIRE/SH-2
Aircraft Series Identifier GLASSAIRE/
Aircraft Serial Number 269
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 Jul 20 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 16
Airframe Hours 16
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FINN A. ARNOLD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 340 COMMERCIAL ST.
Aircraft Owner City MANCHESTER
Aircraft Owner State NH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 03101
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 SDA
Departure City SHENANDOAH
Departure State IA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1815
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 22R
Runway Length 4100
Runway Width 70
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --