Shawnee Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bloomfield, Indiana 47465
Wednesday, September 7, 2005 16:25 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The amateur-built airplane overran the end of the runway during an aborted takeoff attempt and subsequently nosed over in a corn field. The airplane was destroyed during a post accident ground fire. The pilot died three days after the accident. Witnesses to the accident reported that the pilot performed a high-speed taxi on the runway prior to attempting a takeoff run. One witness reported that he advised the pilot "to use the grass before the threshold for max takeoff length." Witnesses reported that the airplane overran the end of the runway during a subsequent takeoff attempt. A witness reported that the pilot had evacuated himself from the wreckage and told him that he "couldn't get [the airplane] off the ground." The combined distance to accelerate to rotation speed and then stop was 2,820 feet and 3,960 feet for gross weights of 2,500 and 3,000 lbs, respectively. The runway (2,160 feet by 150 feet, turf) had a 485 foot stopway after the departure threshold. The wreckage was found 222 feet past the end of the stopway and 2,867 feet from the beginning of the runway. According to the Rutan Defiant owner's manual, the airplane was a heavy wing-loading aircraft that required longer runways than typical general-aviation twin engine airplanes. The pilot had flown less than 50 hours as pilot-in-command in the accident airplane. No discrepancies were noted that could be associated with any pre-impact condition or malfunction during the post accident examination.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning which resulted in the airplane overrunning the end of the runway during the aborted takeoff. A factor to the accident was the pilot's lack of familiarity with the airplane and the corn crop.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/7/2005
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1625
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Bloomfield
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 47465
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 390240N
Event Location Longitude 0870020W
Event Location Airport Shawnee Field Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 1I3
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 501
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID BMG
Elevation of weather observation facility 846
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.17
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) 19631
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Sep 7 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record May 30 2006 1:54PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Federal Aviation Administration, Indianapolis FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N219DF
NTSB Number CHI05LA257
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Hildebrant
Aircraft Model Rutan Defiant
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 039
Certified Max Gross Weight 3450
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 4
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 750
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Sten Galvan Walls
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR 2 Box 231A
Aircraft Owner City Bloomfield
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 47424
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 1I3
Departure City Bloomfield
Departure State IN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1625
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 1I3
Destination City Bloomfield
Destination State IN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 23 2006 2:19PM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 2160
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --