Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Prineville, Oregon 97754
Friday, September 2, 2005 9:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A witness in the area reported that he had been watching the aircraft perform "hard banks followed by 2-3 spins." The witness stated that the aircraft would recover and gain altitude to repeat the maneuver. The aircraft accomplished these maneuvers three times. The witness then observed the aircraft for about 2-3 seconds fly straight-and-level. The engine sound accelerated before the aircraft then pitched forward into a steep dive which lasted about 2-3 seconds before the witness observed what he believed was the right wing (upper or both) separate from the fuselage. The aircraft continued in a vertical dive while spinning to the ground. On site documentation of the wreckage by a FAA Inspector reported that the right wing section was found about 200 yards south of the main wreckage. Additional debris fragments were found laying approximately 200 yards further south beyond the wing section. The inspector stated that the lower right wing bolt which attaches the wing to the fuselage was in place, however, the wood material around the bolt pass through failed. The pilot owned this aircraft for about 2 years but failed to register the aircraft, nor was there an airworthiness certificate. The pilot, who was not a certificated mechanic was also accomplishing his own maintenance on the aircraft.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The design stress limits of the aircraft were exceeded resulting in a wing separation while the pilot was accomplishing maneuvers of hard banking turns, spins and steep descents.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/2/2005
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 915
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Prineville
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97754
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude 440804N
Event Location Longitude 1205152W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1156 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 280
Weather Observation Facility ID RDM
Elevation of weather observation facility 3077
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.95
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) 19433
NTSB Notification Source FAA Regional Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Sep 2 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 28 2006 1:55PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Portland, Oregon

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number None
NTSB Number SEA05LA188
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 Kirner
Aircraft Model Fisher FP404
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number --
Certified Max Gross Weight 540
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Craig A. Halweg
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Bend
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97701
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 S39
Departure City Prineville
Departure State OR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 845
Departure Time Zone PDT
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? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 13 2006 4:20PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --