Private Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Martinsville, Indiana 46151
Tuesady, February 23, 1988 16:31 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT BEGAN A DEPARTURE BY TAKING OFF TO THE EAST , DOWNWIND, ON A 2000' UPSLOPING RWY. THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO CLEAR TREES & POWERLINES AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY. IT THEN DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL & CRASHED, AND WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT & FIRE. ABOUT 20 MI EAST-NORTHEAST, AT INDIANAPOLIS, THE 1553 EST WIND WAS FROM 310 DEG AT 16 GUSTING 22 KTS. THE PLT'S LAST MEDICAL APPLICATION WAS DATED 10/3/87, BUT A MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WAS DENIED DUE TO A CARDIO-VASCULAR PROBLEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT TO TAKE INTO CAONSIDERATION THE WIND DIRECTION AND VELOCITY BEFORE SELECTING HIS TAKEOFF DIRECTION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/23/1988
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1631
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City MARTINSVILLE
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46151
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PRIVATE
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID IND
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4100
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) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 22
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2229
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 23 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1610
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38893
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:32AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9958U
NTSB Number CHI88FA067
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 GRUMMAN AMERICAN
Aircraft Model AA-5A
Aircraft Series Identifier AA-5A
Aircraft Serial Number AA5A-0358
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 4
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 No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LUTZ G MACHON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2402 FOX CLIFF N.
Aircraft Owner City MARTINSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46151
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LUTZ G. MACHON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2402 FOX CLIFF N.
Operator City MARTINSVILLE
Operator State IN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 46151
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1631
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code I14
Destination City INDIANAPOLIS
Destination State IN
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 9
Runway Length 2000
Runway Width 90
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --