Sundance Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73078
Saturday, September 17, 1988 11:27 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES RPRTD THE PLT WAS DOING AEROBATICS NEAR THE ARPT. THEY OBSERVED TWO SNAP ROLLS, THEN SAW THE ACFT ENTER A SPIN TO THE RIGHT. THE WITNESSES SAID THE ACFT WAS MANEUVERING AT AN ESTIMATED 1,500 TO 1,900 FEET AGL, THEN IT SPUN, UNCORRECTED TO GROUND IMPACT. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT IN THE REAR COCKPIT, THE RUDDER CABLE ATTACHMENT ON THE LEFT RUDDER PEDAL HAD FAILED. A METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THE FRACTURE WAS TYPICAL OF OVERSTRESS, BUT THE WELDED AREA HAD VOIDS & THERE WAS A LACK OF FUSION & PENETRATION IN THE WELDED AREA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

TOTAL FAILURE OF THE RUDDER CONTROL DUE TO FAILURE OF THE METAL WELDS ON THE CABLE ATTACHMENT TO THE RUDDER PEDAL, DUE TO IMPROPER WELDING BY THE MANUFACTURER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/17/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1127
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City OKLAHOMA CITY
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 73078
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 SUNDANCE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HSD
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 1191
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1100 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID PWA
Elevation of weather observation facility 1299
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1900
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 Light
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) 2248
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 17 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39994
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 N57DH
NTSB Number FTW88DPJ12
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 SNYDER
Aircraft Model STOLP SA-300
Aircraft Series Identifier STOLP SA-3
Aircraft Serial Number 826
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 15 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name H. DAVID HOWARD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9003 MORSE
Aircraft Owner City CROWN POINT
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46307
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HOWARD, H. DAVID
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 9003 MARSE
Operator City CROWN POINT
Operator State IN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 46307
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 HSD5
Departure City
Departure State
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 17
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --