Green Castle Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Oxford, Iowa 52322
Sunday, February 28, 1988 10:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE IN TROUBLE IMMEDIATLEY AFTER TAKEOFF, AS THE WINGS WERE RAPIDLY ROCKING WHILE IT WAS STRUGGLING TO STAY AIRBORNE. THE AIRCRAFT TURNED SHARPLY LEFT, WHERE IT THEN BARELY CLEARED A ROW OF TREES. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED, WITH ITS WINGS STILL ROCKING, WHEN IT SUDDENLY PITCHED UP AS IT APCHD SOME POWER LINES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED CLEARING THE POWER LINES, HANGING IN MID-AIR, THEN PLUMMETING NOSE FIRST TO THE GROUND. THERE WAS NO IN-FLIGHT NOR POST-CRASH FIRE. ON-SCENE DOCUMENTATION INDICATED THAT THE PILOT HAD USED 20 DEGREES OF FLAPS FOR TAKEOFF. A COMPLETE ENGINE TEARDOWN INSPECTION REVEALED NO PREEXISTING DISCREPANCIES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/28/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City OXFORD
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 52322
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 GREEN CASTLE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID IA24
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 750
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1009 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 2
Weather Observation Facility ID CID
Elevation of weather observation facility 864
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2042
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 28 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1110
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38414
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:33AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5816E
NTSB Number MKC88FA058
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17271943
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 22 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 55
Airframe Hours 3209
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AEROMEDICUS LTD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 310 WOODRIDGE AVE
Aircraft Owner City IOWA CITY
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 52240
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DON NELSON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RR #2, F-28 HIGHWAY
Operator City OXFORD
Operator State IA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 52322
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 IA24
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 55C
Destination City DODGEVILLE
Destination State WI
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 13
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --