Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Donahue, Iowa 52746
Wednesday, July 31, 2002 11:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While maneuvering, the engine and propeller stopped completely and a forced landing was executed into a bean field. On landing the airplane flipped over completely, coming to rest upright again, and was substantially damaged. The pilot reported entering a departure stall with full power which resulted in a relatively high pitch attitude. Immediately prior to the stall, the power was reduced to idle and the nose dropped rapidly as the aircraft stalled. The pilot reported that the aircraft may have experienced some rearward motion due to the high pitch attitude and abruptness of the stall. During the stall, the pilot stated that the engine and propeller both stopped completely. Attempts to start the propeller windmilling were not successful. The aerobatic engine had been modified to exhibit an "enhanced compression ratio", which increased propeller resistance to windmilling during the restart attempt. The amateur-built airplane did not have an engine starter installed. A post-accident engine examination revealed no anomolies determined to have existed prior the accident and/or attribuitable to the loss of power.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/31/2002
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Donahue
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 52746
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 414300N
Event Location Longitude 0904030W
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 1054 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 320
Weather Observation Facility ID DVN
Elevation of weather observation facility 753
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.01
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13166
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 31 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1546
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 18 2003 4:34PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA-FSDO-DesMoines

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N29FJ
NTSB Number CHI02LA227
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Jackovich
Aircraft Model Pitts S1D
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 7-0513
Certified Max Gross Weight 1150
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 Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Jun 3 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 375
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Steven J. Jackovich
Aircraft Owner Street Address 919 25th Street
Aircraft Owner City Bettendorf
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 52722
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 DVN
Departure City Davenport
Departure State IA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Feb 27 2003 8:07AM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --