Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Richmond, Indiana 47374
Thursday, January 5, 1989 15:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER WAS EXPERIENCED AT ABOUT LIFT-OFF. THE PILOT CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF AND APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT WHICH WORSENED THE POWER LOSS. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A PLOWED FIELD DURING WHICH THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION, NOR CONTAMINATION OF THE FUEL. METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WERE FAVORABLE FOR CARBURETOR ICING. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 42 DEGREES F, AND THE DEW POINT WAS 27 DEGREES F. THE PILOT DID NOT OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO CONTINUE THE TAKEOFF WITH A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/5/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City RICHMOND
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 47374
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 1
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 1450 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 75
Weather Observation Facility ID DAY
Elevation of weather observation facility 1427
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2164
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 5 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1645
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41842
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N39000
NTSB Number CHI89DEX03
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 GRUMMAN AMERICAN
Aircraft Model AA-1C
Aircraft Series Identifier AA-1C
Aircraft Serial Number AA1C0175
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 1 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 1942
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS J. WARDWELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 517 S. 17TH ST.
Aircraft Owner City RICHMOND
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 47374
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 RID
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1455
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --