Independence Mem. Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Independence, Missouri 64051
Sunday, May 11, 1986 16:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT THEY TOOK OFF TO THE NORTH WITH AN INTENDED SOUTHWEST BOUND DEPARTURE. AFTER A LEFT TURN, WHILE ON THE CROSSWIND LEG, AND CLIMBING THROUGH 800 FEET, A BLAST OF COLD AIR AND WIND SHEAR HIT THE AIRCRAFT, AND THE BOTTOM FELL OUT, ACCORDING TO THE PILOT. A WITNESS OBSERVED THAT, ON CLIMBOUT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS MOVING AT A SLOW SPEED AND A HIGH NOSE ANGLE. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS BANKING IN A LEFT TURN, IT SUDDENLY DROPPED STRAIGHT DOWN, ACCORDING TO THE WITNESS. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RECORDS AND REPORTS FROM THE NATIONAL SEVERE STORMS FORECASTING CENTER, (NSSFC), KANSAS CITY, MO, INDICATE VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FROM 1000 C.D.T. TO 2300 C.D.T., WITH NO RECORD OF WIND SHEAR, STRONG WINDS OR A COLD FRONT REPORTED IN THE AREA OF INDEPENDENCE MEMORIAL AIRPORT, MISSOURI.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/11/1986
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1645
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City INDEPENDENCE
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 64051
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport INDEPENDENCE MEM.
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 31P
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 305
Airport Elevation 756
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1645 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 280
Weather Observation Facility ID MKC
Elevation of weather observation facility 758
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2600
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1415
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 11 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31814
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N24491
NTSB Number MKC86FA103
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 103: Ultralight
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name TAYLORCRAFT
Aircraft Model BL-65
Aircraft Series Identifier BL-65
Aircraft Serial Number 1831
Certified Max Gross Weight 1150
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 Feb 18 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 141
Airframe Hours 1246
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT L. HEWITT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1030 W. 23RD ST.
Aircraft Owner City KANSAS CITY
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 64050
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 31P
Departure City INDEPENDENCE
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1641
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 63K
Destination City STILWELL
Destination State KS
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 2570
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --