Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Birchwood, Wisconsin 54817
Friday, July 20, 1984 10:20 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING FLT, THE PLT TRANSMITTED TO ARTCC 'WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM, WE'RE LOSING ALTITUDE.' THE CONTROLLER PROVIDED A VECTOR TO THE NEAREST ARPT, BUT SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THE PLT STATED THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REACH THE ARPT. THE PLT DID NOT INFORM ARTCC OF HIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM, EXCEPT TO SAY THAT THE ACFT WAS DESCENDING RAPIDLY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CRASHED IN A WOODED AREA ABOUT 1/2 MI FROM AN OPEN AREA. DURING THE INVESTIGATION, ABOUT 1 QUART OF FUEL WAS FOUND REMAINING IN THE LEFT INBOARD (AUX) FUEL TANK. ALL OF THE OTHER TANKS WERE RUPTURED FROM IMPACT. NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL SPILLAGE WAS FOUND AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE LEFT PROP WAS FOUND IN THE FEATHERED POSITION & THE RIGHT PROP WAS FOUND PARTIALLY FEATHERED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. BOTH ENGS WERE STARTED & BOTH OPERATED SATISFACTORILY, AFTER FUEL WAS SUPPLIED BY TEMPORARY TANKS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/20/1984
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1020
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BIRCHWOOD
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 54817
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 7
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID EAU
Elevation of weather observation facility 907
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 49
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3198
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27248
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 N14TC
NTSB Number CHI84FA303
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 421
Aircraft Series Identifier 421
Aircraft Serial Number 421-0105
Certified Max Gross Weight 6840
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 21 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 6194
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN CHURA AND JOSEPH HEINLEIN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 334 STREAMSIDE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City HARVEY
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60426
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 Yes - certificate holder
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 IKK
Departure City KANKAKEE
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 755
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code YMG
Destination City WINNIPEG
Destination State CD
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --