Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Iron Mountain, Michigan 49801
Sunday, July 1, 1990 16:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE AIRPLANE ENTER A SHALLOW LEFT BANK SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. THEY STATED THE BANK GRADUALLY INCREASED TO APPROXIMATELY 60 DEGREES AT WHICH TIME THE NOSE DROPPED AND THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A DESCENDING SPIRAL UNTIL IT CRASHED INTO A RIVER. THE PILOT REPORTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE RUDDER CONTROLS AND AIRSPEED INDICATOR PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THE RUDDER CONTROLS PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT. POST-ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED DUCT TAPE ON THE FLIGHT CONTROL CABLES. THE RUDDER CONTROL CABLE HAD SLIPPED OFF IT'S PULLEY AND JAMMED BETWEEN THE PULLEY AND THE PULLEY SUPPORT BRACKET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

JAMMING OF THE RUDDER CABLE BETWEEN THE PULLEY AND THE PULLEY SUPPORT BRACKET AND THE PILOT'S CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE AIRPLANE WITH A KNOWN DEFICIENCY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/1/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City IRON MOUNTAIN
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49801
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
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 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 340
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1545 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID IMT
Elevation of weather observation facility 1182
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1100
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1027
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 1 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1745
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42248
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 N176
NTSB Number CHI90DEM05
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 OO-CULLEY
Aircraft Model OSPREY
Aircraft Series Identifier OSPREY
Aircraft Serial Number 176
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ERICKSON, CONRAD W.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 541 S. PARK
Aircraft Owner City KINGSFORD
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49801
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 IMT
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1555
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code IMT
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 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --