Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Kokomo Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Kokomo, Indiana 46901
Saturday, June 9, 2012 16:00 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot planned to depart the runway and then turn left toward a row of trees for an aerobatic demonstration at a local air show. At a set distance from the trees, his plan was to roll the airplane inverted and then climb away from the trees. However, during the performance, he realized that the airplane wasn’t going to clear the trees. The pilot stated that he tried to increase the airplane’s climb angle, but the airplane struck the trees. The pilot continued the airplane’s climb and returned to the airfield for a landing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its wings and horizontal stabilizer during the collision with the trees. The pilot reported that the primary cause of the accident was “misjudgment in distance” and “pilot error.” He also indicated that the wind was occasionally gusty, but he was unable to ascertain whether that was a factor.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from the trees during a low-level aerobatic maneuver.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/9/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1600 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Kokomo |
| Event State | INDIANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 46901 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 403119N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0860317W |
| Event Location Airport | Kokomo Municipal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KOKK |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| 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 | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KOKK |
| 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 | 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) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 220 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 15 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.93 |
| 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 |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 30110 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 28 2012 8:55AM |
| User who most recently changed record | reej |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N34BJ |
| NTSB Number | CEN12CA360 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Unknown |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BIRCHLER BOYD |
| Aircraft Model | EAGLE 540 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | BJ-1 |
| 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 | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 3 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 80 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Billy Werth Airshows, LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | McCordsville |
| Aircraft Owner State | IN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 46055 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Billy Werth Airshows, LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | McCordsville |
| Operator State | IN |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 46055 |
| 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) | Air Race/Show |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | KOKK |
| Departure City | Kokomo |
| Departure State | IN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | KOKK |
| Destination City | Kokomo |
| Destination State | IN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 28 2012 8:58AM |
| User who most recently changed record | reej |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 23 |
| Runway Length | 5201 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |