Fort Wayne Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fort Wayne, Indiana 46809
Tuesady, April 11, 1989 9:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE PREMATURELY LIFTED OFF IN THE CROSSWIND DURING TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 32. THE TAKEOFF WAS ABORTED AND THE LEFT WING DROPPED & STRUCK THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST. THE PILOT REPORTED HAVING 839 HOURS TOTAL TIME WITH 114 IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRPLANE. HIS PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE WAS ISSUED APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES REPORTED THE LEFT WING CONTACTED THE RUNWAY PRIOR TO THE POWER REDUCTION TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURING THE CROSSWIND TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PREMATURE LIFT OFF AND THE CROSSWIND CONDITION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/11/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 945
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City FORT WAYNE
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46809
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FORT WAYNE MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FWA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 815
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 952 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID FWA
Elevation of weather observation facility 815
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
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) 30
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) 2122
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 11 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41710
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:35PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N51TK
NTSB Number CHI89DET03
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 NORTH AMERICAN
Aircraft Model F-51D
Aircraft Series Identifier F-51D
Aircraft Serial Number 44-63350
Certified Max Gross Weight 8200
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 2579
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name INTERNATIONAL AIRCRAFT ASSOC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 710 YORKLYN RD.
Aircraft Owner City HOCKESSIN
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19707
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RONALD A. RIGGI
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 123
Operator City GALWAY
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 12074
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 5B2
Destination City SARATOGA SPRING
Destination State NY
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 32
Runway Length 8500
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --