Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Superior, Wisconsin 54880
Saturday, August 20, 1988 19:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE IN NORMAL CRUISE THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY DESCENT TO A FORCED LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED UNSUITABLE TERRAIN WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED A FRACTURE OF THE FUEL LINE, HAD OCCURRED AT THE POINT WHERE THE PILOT/OWNER HAD INSTALLED AN AUTOMOTIVE TYPE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. THE REGULATOR HAD NOT BEEN SUPPORTED PROPERLY TO GUARD AGAINST THE EFFECTS OF VIBRATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/20/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1945
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SUPERIOR
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 54880
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 8
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1750 CTL
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 155
Weather Observation Facility ID DLH
Elevation of weather observation facility 1429
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation CTL
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1399
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 20 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37515
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:02PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N39F
NTSB Number CHI88DER09
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 SMITH
Aircraft Model MINIPLANE
Aircraft Series Identifier MINIPLANE
Aircraft Serial Number DSA-50-1
Certified Max Gross Weight 1130
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Oct 18 1978 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 24
Airframe Hours 395
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM G. BERTRAND
Aircraft Owner Street Address 15701 SW 106TH AVE.
Aircraft Owner City MIAMI
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33157
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WAYNE L. SHELHON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT. 1, BOX 66-5
Operator City SUPERIOR
Operator State WI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 54880
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
Departure City SUPERIOR
Departure State WI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1935
Departure Time Zone CTL
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 Landing
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --