Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Battle Creek, Michigan 48017
Sunday, October 9, 1983 11:47 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT FLEW THE HOME BUILT ACFT FROM BATTLE CREEK TO MARSHALL, MI TO TALK TO FRIENDS. AFTER ABOUT 30 MIN, HE TOOK OFF WITHOUT REFUELING. SHORTLY AFTER THE ACFT DEPARTED, A WITNESS ON A GOLF COURSE HEARD THE SOUND OF THE ENG. HE LOOKED UP & SAW THE ACFT IN ABOUT A 30 DEG CLIMB. REPORTEDLY, THE ACFT CLIMBED APRX 400 TO 500 FT, TO A HEIGHT OF ABOUT 2000 TO 3000 FT, THEN THE NOSE CAME DOWN SLOWLY & THE ACFT STARTED DESCENDING. THE WITNESS OBSERVED THE ACFT CONTINUE DESCENDING UNTIL THE PLT STARTED TO PULL OUT OF THE DIVE. DURING THE PULL-OUT, THE RIGHT WING FOLDED UPWARD & SEPARATED. THE ACFT THEN WENT INTO A RAPID SPIN & CRASHED. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT WING HAD SEPARATED AT THE ROOT. THE SEPARATED WING HAD A CREASE STARTING AT THE LEADING EDGE WING ROOT & ANGLED OUTBOARD & REARWARD AT A 45 DEG ANGLE. AN EXAM OF THE TOP SPAR CAP SHOWED EVIDENCE OF BUCKLING PRIOR TO WING SEPARATION.A LOG SHOWED THAT THE PLT HAD PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED AEROBATIC FLT. THE ACFT WAS NOT CERTIFIED FOR AEROBATICS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/9/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1147
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BATTLE CREEK
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48017
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 10
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 8
Degrees magnetic from airport 90
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1145 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID BTL
Elevation of weather observation facility 941
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2025
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22377
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N22SK
NTSB Number CHI84AA016
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 KEMMEYER
Aircraft Model SONERAI II
Aircraft Series Identifier SONERAI II
Aircraft Serial Number 00052
Certified Max Gross Weight 925
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 May 13 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 24
Airframe Hours 91
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS G. BAKER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4794 BATTENKILL
Aircraft Owner City GALESBURG
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49053
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 BTL
Departure City BATTLE CREEK
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Maneuvering
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 --