East Kansas City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grain Valley, Missouri 64029
Sunday, July 22, 1990 19:25 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING AN EMERGENCY DESCENT AFTER A BLADE TIP CAME OFF THE PROPELLER DURING INITIAL CLIMB. THE PILOT IN THE RIGHT SEAT STATED THAT HE ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AFTER THE PROPELLER FAILURE. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE STALLED DURING A TURN TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT AND DESCENDED INTO THE GROUND. THE PILOT IN THE LEFT SEAT DOES NOT REMEMBER THE ACCIDENT. THE INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THAT THE PROPELLER HAD BEEN MODIFIED (SHORTENED) AND NEW TIPS FABRICATED AND INSTALLED BY ONE OF THE OWNERS OF THE AIRPLANE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PROPELLER BLADE SEPARATION DURING INITIAL CLIMB, AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/22/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1925
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City GRAIN VALLEY
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 64029
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 EAST KANSAS CITY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3GV
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 835
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1855 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 226
Weather Observation Facility ID GVW
Elevation of weather observation facility 1090
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1761
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1085
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 22 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42305
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 N89BD
NTSB Number CHI90DCG01
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 GEORGE R. LOSEY
Aircraft Model J6-KARATOO
Aircraft Series Identifier J6-KARATOO
Aircraft Serial Number 1210
Certified Max Gross Weight 1050
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 Aug 25 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 70
Airframe Hours 70
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PAMELA S. RATLIFF
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6024 WOODSIDE AVE.
Aircraft Owner City KANSAS CITY
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 64133
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 3810
Runway Width 44
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --