Blackhawk Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cottage Grove, Wisconsin 53527
Saturday, July 29, 1989 15:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID THAT HE ENCOUNTERED LOW CEILINGS AND RAIN DURING CRUISE FLIGHT AND ELECTED TO DIVERT TO AN ALTERNATE DESTINATION. DURING THE THIRD ATTEMPT TO LAND, RAIN OBSCURED THE APPROACH END OF THE LANDING RUNWAY. THE PILOT LOST SIGHT OF THE RUNWAY AND THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN SHORT OF THE THRESHOLD. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN DAMAGED AS IT ROLLED OVER UNEVEN TERRAIN SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT MISJUDGED ALTITUDE AND DISTANCE TO THE RUNWAY AND FAILED TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT FOR A LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND UNEVEN TERRAIN SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/29/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City COTTAGE GROVE
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 53527
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BLACKHAWK FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 52C
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 905
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 95
Weather Observation Facility ID MSN
Elevation of weather observation facility 905
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1200
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) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
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) 1050
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
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) 1719
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40739
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N13EG
NTSB Number CHI89DEP08
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 JAMES EGGLESTON
Aircraft Model VARIEZE
Aircraft Series Identifier VARIEZE
Aircraft Serial Number 235
Certified Max Gross Weight 1100
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 Jul 25 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours 49
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES O. EGGLESTON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2602 ELNORA ST.
Aircraft Owner City WHEATON
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20902
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 No
Departure Airport Code VPZ
Departure City VALPARAISO
Departure State IN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 27
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --