Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Earlham, Iowa 50072
Saturday, August 1, 2009 18:57 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to a sheriff’s incident report, a witness observed the experimental amateur-built biplane perform a roll and then enter into a loop. The report indicated that, as “the plane was coming out of the loop, it did not have enough altitude and that is when it struck the ground." The airplane sustained substantial damage when it impacted a field. An examination of the airplane wreckage revealed no mechanical anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the ground during an aerobatic maneuver.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/1/2009
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1857
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Earlham
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 50072
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 412924N
Event Location Longitude 0940717W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PVT
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 1854 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 85
Weather Observation Facility ID DSM
Elevation of weather observation facility 958
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.96
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KDSM 012354Z 29007KT 10SM FEW055 23/10 A2996
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26796
NTSB Notification Source FAA-Des Moines FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 6 2010 10:32AM
User who most recently changed record broda
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1XY
NTSB Number CEN09LA492
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name STIRLING
Aircraft Model STARDUSTER
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 466
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 2
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 Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name PRICE JAMES F.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City EARLHAM
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 50072
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name PRICE JAMES F.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City EARLHAM
Operator State IA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 50072
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 PVT
Departure City EARLHAM
Departure State IA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code PVT
Destination City EARLHAM
Destination State IA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 11 2010 5:56PM
User who most recently changed record male
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --