Vermillion County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Danville, Illinois
Sunday, September 19, 1982 12:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

UPON ARRIVING AT AN AIR SHOW THE PLT WAS GIVEN ADVISORIES FOR A DOWNWIND LANDING. THE ACFT SUBSEQUENTLY GROUND-LOOPED. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE TAILWHEEL LOCK HAD ALSO MALFUNCTIONED. THE CENTERING SPRING WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO CONSISTENTLY CENTER THE TAILWHEEL POST SO THAT THE LOCK PIN COULD ENTER. IN ADDITION, THE COMPRESSION SPRING WAS TOO WEAK TO FORCE THE LOCK PIN INTO PLACE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/19/1982
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1215
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DANVILLE
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport VERMILLION COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DVN
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by briefer
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
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) 70
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 2228
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N51H
NTSB Number CHI82DA360
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 NAVY
Aircraft Model N3N-3
Aircraft Series Identifier N3N-3
Aircraft Serial Number 2660
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection 90
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BERNARD KARSH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1412 WILLIAM ST.
Aircraft Owner City CHAMPAIGN
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BERNARD KARSH
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1412 WILLIAM ST.
Operator City CHAMPAIGN
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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
Departure City URBANA
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1115
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City DANVILLE
Destination State IL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16
Runway Length 3999
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --