Harbaugh John T COUGAR-1 N3227X

Summary

On 11 October 1984 at about 22:55 local time, a Harbaugh John T COUGAR-1 registered N3227X was involved in an accident near St. Cloud, Minnesota, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

11 October 1984 at 22:55

Classification

Accident

Location

St. Cloud, Minnesota, United States

Nearest airport

St Cloud (STC)

Coordinates

45.5503, -94.1693

Aircraft

Harbaugh John T COUGAR-1

Registration

N3227X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

St. Cloud → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI85FA013

1 person died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HOMEBUILT ACFT CRASHED WHILE ATTEMPTING AN EMERGENCY LNDG IN A FARMERS FIELD. THE FINAL TURN TO LAND WAS STEEPENED TO AVOID A HOUSE. THE ACFT FLIPPED OVER AND CONTACTED THE GROUND IN AN INVERTED, LEFT WING & NOSE DWN ATTITUDE WHICH RESULTED IN A 180 DEGREE REVERSAL BEFORE FINAL IMPACT. THE PLT/OWNER/BUILDER HAD BEEN IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING THE ACFT FOR 20 YRS. HE HAD COME TO THE ARPT ON THE ACC DAY TO WORK ON THE ACFT AGAIN BUT INSTEAD DECIDED TO TRY A MAIDEN FLT. THE FLT LASTED 40 MINUTES. WITNESSES NOTICED THE ACFT FLYING ERRATICALLY AND LOSING ALT AS IT FLEW WEST ALONG THE HIWAY RETURNING TOWARD THE ARPT OF DEPARTURE. IT CRASHED INTO A CORNFIELD ABOUT 3 MILES FROM THE ARPT. INVESTIGATION OF THE ACFT WRECKAGE SHOWED SEVERAL IRREGULARITIES IN CONSTRUCTION METHODS & ASSEMBLY STANDARDS. MAINTENANCE PERFORMED WAS ALSO SUBSTANDARD. NO PROBLEMS OF APHYSICAL NATURE FOR THE 61 YR OLD PLT WERE DISCOVERED DURING AUTOPSY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.