Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Atlantic, Iowa 50022
Friday, June 30, 1989 17:44 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PUBLIC USE ACFT WAS BEING USED BY THE IOWA STATE HIGHWAY PATROL TO SEARCH FOR A MISSING PERSON. GROUND SEARCHERS IN THE AREA RPRTD THE ACFT WAS FLYING AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 100 TO 150 FT AGL, WHEN IT WAS OBSERVED TO ENTER A STEEP BANK, APCHG 90 DEG. THE TURN WAS MADE TO CIRCLE BACK & KEEP SIGHT OF SOMEONE BELIEVED TO BE THE MISSING PERSON. WHILE TURNING, THE ACFT SUDDENLY ENTERED A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE & IMPACTED THE GROUND. A POST-ACDNT INSPN OF THE ACFT DID NOT REVEAL ANY PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHILE MANEUVERING AT LOW ALTITUDE, WHICH LED TO AN INADVERTENT STALL AND LOSS OF CONTROL. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF ALTITUDE TO RECOVER FROM A STALL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/30/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1744
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ATLANTIC
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 50022
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 6
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
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) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
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) 3600
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1097
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 30 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39374
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:46PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6131M
NTSB Number MKC89GA147
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Public Use
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MAULE
Aircraft Model MX-7
Aircraft Series Identifier MX-7
Aircraft Serial Number 11062C
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Jun 5 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 42
Airframe Hours 113
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name IOWA STATE HIGHWAY PATROL
Aircraft Owner Street Address WALLACE OFFICE BLDG
Aircraft Owner City DES MOINES
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 50319
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 Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Public Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code AIO
Departure City ATLANTIC
Departure State IA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 22 2001 3:26PM
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 --