Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Attica, Indiana 47918
Wednesday, March 18, 1987 20:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER COMPLETING A CABLE PATROL FLT, THE PLT LANDED AT SULLIVAN, IN, TO REFUEL BEFORE STARTING A NIGHT FLT TO REPOSITION THE ACFT AT LAFAYETTE, IN. THE PLT DEPARTED IN CLEAR WX. HOWEVER, AS HE WAS ARRIVING AT LAFAYETTE, HE ADVISED THE TOWER CONTROLLER THAT 'IT LOOKS LIKE I GOT ON TOP OF A LITTLE CLOUD DECK HERE.' THE PLT WAS ADVISED THE ARPT WX WAS 1200' BROKEN, 2600' OVERCAST, VISIBILITY 7 MI WITH LIGHT RAIN. HE REQUESTED A RADAR VECTOR TO THE ARPT. HOWEVER, AS THE TOWER CONTROLLER WAS COORDINATING WITH APCH CONTROL TO IDENTIFY THE ACFT'S POSITION, CONTACT WITH THE ACFT WAS LOST. A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. THE ACFT HAD CRASHED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN, LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE. DRG THE INVESTIGATION, NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE ENG WAS PROVIDING POWER AT IMPACT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/18/1987
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2030
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ATTICA
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 47918
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 3
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2052 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID LAF
Elevation of weather observation facility 606
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 1200
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
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) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 2285
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 19 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35923
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:56PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5504L
NTSB Number CHI87FA099
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 7ECA
Aircraft Series Identifier 7ECA
Aircraft Serial Number 78-1263
Certified Max Gross Weight 1300
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 Jan 1 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HAROLD L. JOHNSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2300 CLEARVIEW
Aircraft Owner City DAYTON
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 45439
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address ONE CONTINENTAL DR.
Operator City NORWALK
Operator State OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 44857
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SIV
Departure City SULLIVAN
Departure State IN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1945
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LAF
Destination City LAFAYETTE
Destination State IN
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 --