Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
St Cloud Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
St. Cloud, Minnesota 56301
Thursday, October 11, 1984 17:55 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
THE HOMEBUILT ACFT CRASHED WHILE ATTEMPTING AN EMERGENCY LNDG IN A FARMERS FIELD. THE FINAL TURN TO LAND WAS STEEPENED TO AVOID A HOUSE. THE ACFT FLIPPED OVER AND CONTACTED THE GROUND IN AN INVERTED, LEFT WING & NOSE DWN ATTITUDE WHICH RESULTED IN A 180 DEGREE REVERSAL BEFORE FINAL IMPACT. THE PLT/OWNER/BUILDER HAD BEEN IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING THE ACFT FOR 20 YRS. HE HAD COME TO THE ARPT ON THE ACC DAY TO WORK ON THE ACFT AGAIN BUT INSTEAD DECIDED TO TRY A MAIDEN FLT. THE FLT LASTED 40 MINUTES. WITNESSES NOTICED THE ACFT FLYING ERRATICALLY AND LOSING ALT AS IT FLEW WEST ALONG THE HIWAY RETURNING TOWARD THE ARPT OF DEPARTURE. IT CRASHED INTO A CORNFIELD ABOUT 3 MILES FROM THE ARPT. INVESTIGATION OF THE ACFT WRECKAGE SHOWED SEVERAL IRREGULARITIES IN CONSTRUCTION METHODS & ASSEMBLY STANDARDS. MAINTENANCE PERFORMED WAS ALSO SUBSTANDARD. NO PROBLEMS OF APHYSICAL NATURE FOR THE 61 YR OLD PLT WERE DISCOVERED DURING AUTOPSY.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/11/1984 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1755 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | ST. CLOUD |
| Event State | MINNESOTA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 56301 |
| Event Date Year | 1984 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | ST CLOUD |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | STC |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 3 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 0 |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1754 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 90 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | STC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1024 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 5 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 25000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 19 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 15 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 150 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| 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) | 3171 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | 0 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | 27280 |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 12 2006 10:00AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\HAMG |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3227X |
| NTSB Number | CHI85FA013 |
| 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 | HARBAUGH JOHN T |
| Aircraft Model | COUGAR-1 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | COUGAR-1 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1669 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 31 1984 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 2 |
| Airframe Hours | 2 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | JOHN T. HARBAUGH |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1900 6 AVE. NORTH |
| Aircraft Owner City | ST CLOUD |
| Aircraft Owner State | MN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 56301 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | STC |
| Departure City | ST. CLOUD |
| Departure State | MN |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1730 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| 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 | Descent |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 12 2006 10:00AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\HAMG |
| 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 | -- |