Broken Bow Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Broken Bow, Nebraska 68822
Tuesady, July 4, 1989 11:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

BEFORE TAKEOFF, SOMEONE ASKED THE PLT TO PERFORM A ROLL. DURING DEPARTURE, THE ACFT PROCEEDED OUTBOUND ABOUT 3 MI, THEN WAS TURNED BACK TOWARD THE ARPT. A ROLL WAS PERFORMED, BUT SOON THEREAFTER, THE ACFT ENTERED A DSCNT & BEGAN SPINNING. WITNESSES RPRTD THE ACFT MADE ABOUT 2 TURNS OF A SPIN BEFORE DISAPPEARING FROM THEIR VIEW. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT IMPACTED IN A STEEP DESCENT & WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT 2 BACK PACKS, A BAG OF CLOTHING & A FOLDING CHAIR HAD BEEN STOWED IN THE REAR SEAT AS BAGGAGE. THE PILOT HANDBOOK STATED THAT 'BAGGAGE IS NOT ALLOWED DURING ACROBATIC FLIGHT.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT BY PERFORMING ACROBATIC FLIGHT WITH BAGGAGE IN THE REAR COCKPIT OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH PROBABLY RESTRICTED MOVEMENT OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS AND RESULTED IN UNCONTROLLED FLIGHT AND A SPIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/4/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1150
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BROKEN BOW
Event State NEBRASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 68822
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 BROKEN BOW
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BBW
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 2538
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1146 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 110
Weather Observation Facility ID BBW
Elevation of weather observation facility 2538
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 4754
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1545
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 4 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1220
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39886
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:52PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8636V
NTSB Number MKC89FA153
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 BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 8KCAB
Aircraft Series Identifier 8KCAB
Aircraft Serial Number 186-75
Certified Max Gross Weight 1800
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 May 8 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID A. WHISTLER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1055 LAMAR ST.
Aircraft Owner City LAKEWOOD
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80214
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1148
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code APA
Destination City DENVER
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --