Hiawatha Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hiawatha, Kansas 66434
Thursday, March 31, 1983 15:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE EN ROUTE AT 5500 FT MSL, THE PLT NOTICED AN OIL FILM START TO COVER THE WINDSHIELD OF THE HOME BUILT ACFT. AT THAT TIME, HE WAS APPROACHING HIAWATH, KS, SO HE DIVERTED TO THE HIAWATHA ARPT. BY THE TIME HE ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO LAND, THE OIL RESTRICTED HIS FORWARD VISIBILITY. ON FINAL APPROACH, THE PLT S-TURNED TO KEEP HIMSELF ORIENTED WITH THE RWY. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE RWY & THE GEAR COLLAPSED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE CRANKSHAFT PLUG, LYCOMING PN STD-1211, WAS LOOSE & DISTORTED, THUS ALLOWING OIL TO EXIT THE ENG AT THE PROPELLER. THE PLT STATED THAT AN OIL LEAK HAD PREVIOUSLLY DEVELOPED. HE SAID A MECHANIC USED A HAMMER TO RESEAT THE PLUG. AN EXAM OF THE PLUG REVEALED AN OFF-CENTERED INDENTATION ON THE PLUG'S FACE & DRIED SILICONE ADHESIVE AROUND ITS OUTER CIRCUMFERENCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/31/1983
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City HIAWATHA
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 66434
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HIAWATHA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID K87
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1130
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1345 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 102
Weather Observation Facility ID STJ
Elevation of weather observation facility 826
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 28
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
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 Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1516
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21851
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 N1790
NTSB Number MKC83FA084
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CASSUTT
Aircraft Model III M SPORT
Aircraft Series Identifier III M SPOR
Aircraft Serial Number 1002
Certified Max Gross Weight 516
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 10 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 540
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LAWRENCE L. LITTLEFIELD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9767 BEAUCLERC
Aircraft Owner City JACKSONVILLE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32217
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHN A. ROLFSMEYER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1510 WENDY LANE
Operator City MADISON
Operator State WI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 53716
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 MHK
Departure City MANHATTAN
Departure State KS
Departure Country
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MSN
Destination City MADISON
Destination State WI
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 17
Runway Length 3780
Runway Width 25
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --