Blair Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Blair, Nebraska 68008
Thursday, November 29, 2012 17:15 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Witnesses reported seeing a low-flying airplane strike power lines near an auto dealership parking lot. There was a flash of light, and the airplane descended nose down into some parked trucks. When witnesses reached the airplane, the pilot was already deceased. However, none of the described injuries should have been immediately fatal. According to the autopsy report, the 92-year-old pilot’s death was attributed to severe coronary arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis (quadruple vessel disease). Arteriosclerosis was noted throughout the main coronary arteries. The pilot most likely lost control of his airplane due to an acute coronary event related to his underlying severe coronary artery disease and that he was dead before the aircraft crashed. Federal Aviation Administration medical records, however, did not describe any coronary disease. The toxicology report did not find any medications associated with treated coronary disease. The pilot’s coronary disease likely was undiagnosed.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's loss of control due to physical incapacitation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/29/2012
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1715
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Blair
Event State NEBRASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 68008
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 415433N
Event Location Longitude 0961326W
Event Location Airport Blair Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KBTA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 10
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1318
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1715 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KBTA
Elevation of weather observation facility 1318
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
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) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.92
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) 31817
NTSB Notification Source FAA ACE ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 29 2013 10:15PM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N720RC
NTSB Number CEN13FA081
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ERCOUPE
Aircraft Model 415-C
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 3658
Certified Max Gross Weight 1260
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 18 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 27
Airframe Hours 1159
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Herrick V. Robert
Aircraft Owner Street Address 209 W. Cedar St., P.O. Box 64
Aircraft Owner City Nickerson
Aircraft Owner State NE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 68044-0064
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Herrick V. Robert
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Nickerson
Operator State NE
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 68044-0064
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 No
Departure Airport Code KSCB
Departure City Scribner
Departure State NE
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KBTA
Destination City Blair
Destination State NE
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 13 2013 10:39PM
User who most recently changed record scoa
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --