Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pierz, Minnesota 56364
Sunday, August 7, 1988 17:11 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A WITNESS REPORTED THAT WHILE FLYING AT A LOW ALTITUDE OVER HIS FARM LAND, THE STUDENT PILOT MADE A SHARPLY BANKED TURN, CONTINUED IN A SHALLOWER TURN, AND THEN ABRUPTLY DESCENDED INTO THE SCRUB TREES AND GROUND. THE 78 YEAR OLD STUDENT PILOT HAD BEEN IN STUDENT STATUS FOR THE PAST 28 YEARS, BUT WAS NOT CURRENTLY TAKING INSTRUCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT WHILE MANEUVERING AT A LOW ALTITUDE, RESULTING IN A STALL AND COLLISION WITH THE GROUND. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/7/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1711
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PIERZ
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56364
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 1655 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 350
Weather Observation Facility ID BRD
Elevation of weather observation facility 1226
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2391
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 7 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1817
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39188
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 N3001E
NTSB Number CHI88FA192
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 AERONCA
Aircraft Model 7AC
Aircraft Series Identifier 7AC
Aircraft Serial Number 7AC6587
Certified Max Gross Weight 1220
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 22 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VICTOR A. MALINOWSKI
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR #4 BOX 142
Aircraft Owner City PIERZ
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code RLA
Departure City PIERZ
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 10:35AM
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 --