Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Livermore Falls, Maine 04228
Saturday, June 18, 1988 17:18 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CITABRIA 7GCBC WAS OBSERVED TO MAKE A LOOP. THE LEFT WING BENT UPWARD AT THE STRUT ATTACH POINT AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LOOP AND RECOVERING TO LEVEL FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN OBSERVED TO DESCEND IN A RIGHT SPIRAL AND NOT RECOVER PRIOR TO CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. IMPROPER LEFT FWD WING SPAR MANUFACTURING WAS FOUND. NO PROBLEMS WERE NOTED ON THE LEFT REAR WING SPAR. THE FWD WING SPAR FAILED WITH TENSION ON THE TOP AND COMPRESSION ON THE BOTTOM. THE REAR WING SPAR HAD TENSION ON THE BOTTOM AND COMPRESSION ON THE TOP. THE LEFT WING OUTBOARD OF THE STRUT ATTACH POINT SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE LEFT AILERON WAS BENT UPWARD 90 DEGREES AT THE MIDDLE HINGE POINT WHICH CORRESPONDS TO THE STRUT ATTACH POINT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE SLOPE OF THE GRAIN ON THE FWD WING SPAR EXCEEDED SPECIFICATIONS. ALSO TWO AREAS OF POOR BONDING WERE FOUND. THE AIRCRAFT LOG BOOKS WERE NOT FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/18/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1718
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LIVERMORE FALLS
Event State MAINE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 04228
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 6
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 130
Weather Observation Facility ID AUG
Elevation of weather observation facility 352
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
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) 2136
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 18 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1831
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38658
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:51AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4129Y
NTSB Number NYC88FA167
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 BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 7GCBC
Aircraft Series Identifier 7GCBC
Aircraft Serial Number 951-76
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
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 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 Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHARD A. TILTON
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 94
Aircraft Owner City JAY
Aircraft Owner State ME
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 04239
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 No
Departure Airport Code B10
Departure City LIVEMORE FALLS
Departure State ME
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --