Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Millstadt, Illinois 62260
Sunday, October 21, 2001 12:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to witnesses to the accident, the airplane was maneuvering at a low altitude over their residence at the time of accident. The witnesses reported that the airplane was turning back towards their position when it impacted the top of a tree and subsequently impacted the terrain. One witness reported that the airplane's engine had "normal" power prior to the impact with the tree line. There was a debris field, approximately 125 feet long by 50 feet wide, which was orientated on an easterly heading. At the western edge of the debris field, approximately 125 feet from the tree line, there was a ground-impact and fragmented portions of tree material. The aircraft wreckage was located approximately 100 feet from the initial ground impact and was facing west. The entire airplane was exposed to varying degrees of fire damage. The fabric covering of the fuselage and tail surfaces were completely burned. The entire wing was consumed in the post-impact fire. The engine, cowling structure, and propeller were damaged by fire. No mechanical anomalies were found with the airplane or its flight control systems. At the pilot's last medical examination he reported that he had accumulated a total flight time of 1,500 hours.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot not maintaining altitude/clearance from the tree line. Factors to the accident were the pilot attempting the low altitude flight/maneuver and the presence of the tree line.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/21/2001
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1210
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Millstadt
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 62260
Event Date Year 2001
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1215 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID CPS
Elevation of weather observation facility 413
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.07
Density Altitude (feet) 1418
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
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) 11684
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Oct 21 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1315
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record May 14 2002 9:31AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA, St. Louis FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N64HW
NTSB Number CHI02LA007
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Woodrow Stolp-Adams
Aircraft Model Starduster SA-100
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number HW101
Certified Max Gross Weight 1290
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Frank Charles Clasquin
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8421 Dupont Lane
Aircraft Owner City Belleville
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 62223
Operator is an individual? Yes
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 --
Departure City --
Departure State --
Departure Country --
Departure Time --
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 Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record May 2 2002 10:23AM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --