Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Belle Plaine, Minnesota 56011
Sunday, November 28, 2004 8:45 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following an in-flight loss of engine power. At the departure airport, a lineman was asked to fuel the airplane the day prior to the flight. The lineman found the tanks full prior to his refueling them. The pilot's accident report stated, "I was cruising at [5,500 feet above mean sea level] and as I started my [descent] the engine quit running." The pilot said that he landed on a highway road, the nose wheel exited the pavement, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The wreckage was examined on-scene and no fuel was observed in the fuel tanks. The airplane was left unattended overnight. Fuel was observed in the tanks the day after the accident. The airplane was equipped with a carburetor air temperature indicator. Further examination revealed that the nose gear was collapsed rearward and an outboard section of the left wing sustained substantial spar damage consistent with impact. No preimpact anomalies were found. Local weather was: Wind 230 degrees at 5 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition few clouds 15,000 feet; temperature -5 degrees C; dew point -6 degrees C; altimeter 30.07 inches of mercury. According to a carburetor icing probability chart, derived by Transport Canada, the air temperature and dew point had the potential of producing serious icing at descent power.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons during descent, and the unsuitable terrain encountered during the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/28/2004
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 845
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Belle Plaine
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56011
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 443959N
Event Location Longitude 0934701W
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 853 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID FCM
Elevation of weather observation facility 906
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) -5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.07
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report Flying Cloud Airport Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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) 19130
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Nov 28 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 28 2006 12:35PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Minneapolis, MN, FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2663L
NTSB Number CHI05LA037
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172H
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17255863
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 4128
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name REDLER AIRCRAFT SALES INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1364 Elgin Avenue
Aircraft Owner City South Sioux City
Aircraft Owner State NE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 68776
Operator is an individual? No
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 SUX
Departure City SIOUX CITY
Departure State IA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 645
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FCM
Destination City MINNEAPOLIS
Destination State MN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Nov 21 2005 4:14PM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --