Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Dodge Center Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Dodge Center, Minnesota 55927
Wednesday, April 28, 2004 16:12 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane was destroyed during an in-flight collision with terrain after takeoff from runway 16. The accident site was located about 100 feet west of the departure runway in a level farm field. Three witnesses at the airport reported that they observed the accident pilot board the aircraft and taxi to the runway for takeoff. They reported the aircraft appeared and sounded normal. One of these individuals reported that he observed the accident aircraft takeoff. He stated that the aircraft was airborne about halfway down the runway and he watched it until it was approximately 500 feet above ground level (agl). He estimated the aircraft was approximately three-quarters of the way down the runway at that point. He stated that he returned to his activities and became aware of the accident a few minutes later when one of the other witnesses alerted him. He went out and observed the accident scene and papers blowing in the wind. The aircraft debris path was approximately 150 feet from initial impact to where the main wreckage came to rest. All airplane flight and control surfaces were present at the accident site. Winds at the departure airport were from 210 degrees at 27 knots, gusting to 34 knots, at the time. A pilot on final approach to an airport 22 miles south of the departure airport, about the time of the accident, reported an airspeed loss of 20 knots due to low level wind shear. According to the report, this occurred about 150 feet above ground level (agl). An AIRMET for occasional moderate turbulence below 12,000 feet mean sea level due to strong low level winds was in effect. The AIRMET included the departure and destination airports. The potential of low level wind shear below 2,000 feet agl over southeastern Minnesota was also noted.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure maintain climb and his failure to maintain clearance from the terrain during initial climb out after takeoff. The aircraft's low altitude, high gusty winds and low level turbulence were contributing factors.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/28/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1612 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Dodge Center |
| Event State | MINNESOTA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 55927 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 440105N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0924953W |
| Event Location Airport | Dodge Center |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | TOB |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 230 |
| Airport Elevation | 1305 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1615 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | TOB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1305 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| 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) | 14 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 210 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 27 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 34 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.39 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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) | 17115 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 28 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1649 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 27 2005 3:52PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | FAA-Minneapolis FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N9919L |
| NTSB Number | CHI04LA112 |
| 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 | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Grumman American |
| Aircraft Model | AA-1B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | AA1B-0219 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1560 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 4 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 21 |
| Airframe Hours | 4825 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Harold J. Steffen Jr. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 8397 Lower 208th Street West |
| Aircraft Owner City | Lakeville |
| Aircraft Owner State | MN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 55044 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | TOB |
| Departure City | Dodge Center |
| Departure State | MN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1610 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | LVN |
| Destination City | Minneapolis |
| Destination State | MN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | -- |
| User who most recently changed record | -- |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 16 |
| Runway Length | 4500 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |