Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Elkhart, Indiana 46515
Saturday, September 14, 1985 9:40 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT ROLLED INVERTED & COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AFTER AN OVERTEMPERATURE READING, AN RPM LOSS AND LOSS OF AIRSPEED WERE RECOGNIZED BY THE PLT DURING THE RECORDING OF THE TAKEOFF. THE PLT HAD A PORTABLE RECORDER ON BOARD AND WAS USING IT DURING THE TAKEOFF. HE SAID THE 195 DEGREE TEMPERATURE WAS 'NO BIG DEAL' BUT THEN NOTED A DROP IN AIRSPEED AND STOPPED TALKING. THE RECORDER KETP OPERATING UNTIL THE CRASH AND RECORDED AN RPM REDUCTION TO NEARLY IDLE. POST ACC EXAM NOTED SCORING & BLUEING OF #1 & 2 CYLINDER WALLS INDICATING OVERHEATING & POSSIBLE SEIZURE OF THE ENG. FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE ENG & FUEL LINES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/14/1985
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 940
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ELKHART
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46515
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 9
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 Unknown
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 944 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID SBN
Elevation of weather observation facility 790
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 900
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2345
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 14 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 955
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29727
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N23105
NTSB Number CHI85FET03
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name VANBENTHUYSEN JOHN
Aircraft Model BEDE BD-5B
Aircraft Series Identifier BEDE BD-5B
Aircraft Serial Number 1950
Certified Max Gross Weight 660
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jul 16 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 25
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN D. VANBENTHUYSEN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 25774 LAKE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City ELKHART
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46514
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 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --