Platteville Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Platteville, Wisconsin 53818
Sunday, September 3, 2006 14:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The amateur-built experimental airplane sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during a forced landing to a farm field after a loss of engine power. The pilot reported that he had conducted two moderate speed taxi runs prior to the takeoff. He reported that he departed and just prior to turning crosswind, the engine "died." He executed a forced landing to an alfalfa field, but the airplane nosed over during the landing roll. The examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel vent was clogged.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power as a result of the pilot's inadequate preflight which resulted in a blocked fuel vent that led to fuel starvation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/3/2006
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Platteville
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 53818
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 424121N
Event Location Longitude 0902639W
Event Location Airport Platteville Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PVB
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.5
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
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 Docket Number (internal use) 20720
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 28 2006 9:08AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4FD
NTSB Number CHI06CA253
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 --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Hedeman
Aircraft Model Tailwind W8
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 757
Certified Max Gross Weight 1168
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Donald L. Hedeman
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Dubuque
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 52002
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PVB
Departure City Platteville
Departure State WI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 28 2006 11:47AM
User who most recently changed record DINC
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 7
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --