Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Walker, Minnesota 56484
Wednesday, July 27, 1988 16:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER MAKING A LOW LEVEL PASS OVER A LAKE, HE ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB TO PATTERN ALTITUDE IN PREPARATION FOR LANDING AT A NEARBY AIRPORT. WHEN THE CLIMB WAS INITIATED, THE AIRCRAFT DID A LOOP AND THE PLT LOST CONTROL. THE ACFT SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED AND SANK IN 15 FEET OF WATER. THE ALLOWABLE CENTER OF GRAVITY (CG) RANGE FOR THE AIRCRAFT IS 9.7 INCHES TO 14.5 INCHES. THE CALCULATED CG AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE WAS 16.02 INCHES. WITNESSES CONFIRM THAT THE ACFT DID IN FACT DO A LOOP 'AS IN AN AIRSHOW'. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HE HAD BEEN ATTEMPTING TO PERFORM A LOOP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/27/1988
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1645
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WALKER
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56484
Event Date Year 1988
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1700 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID GPZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 1355
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 46
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
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) 37
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 Minor
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 --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1939
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 27 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1725
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38207
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9WL
NTSB Number CHI88DER05
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 VANS
Aircraft Model RV-3A
Aircraft Series Identifier RV-3A
Aircraft Serial Number 666
Certified Max Gross Weight 1150
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 24 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 130
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CILDNER, DAN H
Aircraft Owner Street Address 510 ROBINSON WAY
Aircraft Owner City BOULDER CITY
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89005
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DAN H. GILDNER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address HCR 4, BOX 1383
Operator City WALKER
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 56484
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 No
Departure Airport Code FCM
Departure City EDEN PRAIRIE
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code Y49
Destination City WALKER
Destination State MN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --