Midway Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Elkhart, Indiana 46514
Wednesday, September 21, 1988 16:55 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AIRCRAFT WAS DESIGNED AND BUILT BY THE PILOT INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT. THIS WAS THE FIRST TEST FLIGHT. ON FIRST ATTEMPT TO TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT GOT 12 TO 18 INCHES OFF THE GROUND. PILOT MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO AIRCRAFT AND GOT AIRBORNE ON SECOND ATTEMPT. AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 15 FEET AND STRUCK LOWER TELEPHONE CABLE ON UTILITY POLES ONE-QUARTER MILE OFF DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE AIRCRAFT DESIGN WHICH RESULTED UNACCEPTABLE AIRCRAFT TAKEOFF AND CLIMB CAPABILITY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/21/1988
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1655
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ELKHART
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46514
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MIDWAY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 2C9
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 780
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID EKM
Elevation of weather observation facility 778
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
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) 30
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2474
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 21 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1710
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39634
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number NONE
NTSB Number CHI88DET06
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 JONES
Aircraft Model NONE
Aircraft Series Identifier NONE
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Not Registered
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
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
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHN EDWARD JONES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 54298 CR 7 N
Operator City ELKHART
Operator State IN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 46514
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 2C9
Departure City ELKHART
Departure State IN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1655
Departure Time Zone EST
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 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 9
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width 140
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --