Lacey B D4 N363H

Summary

On 5 July 1991 at about 15:00 local time, a Lacey B D4 registered N363H, operated by Daren C. Whipple, was involved in an accident near Albert Lea, Minnesota, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 July 1991 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Albert Lea, Minnesota, United States

Nearest airport

Jensen Air Field (NONE)

Coordinates

43.6506, -93.3606

Aircraft

Lacey B D4

Registration

N363H

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Daren C. Whipple

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Rochester

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI91DER12

2 people were seriously injured.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO TAKE ADEQUATE REMEDIAL ACTION. RELATED FACTORS ARE THE TALL GRASS RUNWAY CONDITIONS, AND THE INADEQUATE AIRSPEED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PASSENGER REPORTED, 'ABOUT HALFWAY SOWN THE RUNWAY (DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL) THE PILOT PUSHED THE STICK FORWARD AND LIFTED THE TAIL...IT APPEARED TO ME THAT THE PLANE TRIED TO LIFT OFF AT LEAST ONCE OR TWICE.' AS THEY NEARED THE END OF THE RUNWAY THE PASSENGER HEARD THE PILOT COMMENT ,'WE AREN'T GOING TO MAKE IT.' HE STATED THE AIRPLANE VEERED RIGHT AND CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP, NOSED DOWN IN A FIELD. A GROUND FIRE ENSUED, WHICH DESTROYED THE AIRCRAFT AND PILOT LOGBOOK RECORDS. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS REMOVED FROM THE FIELD WITH A FRONT END LOADER, AND WAS LOCATED IN A WOODED AREA WHEN EXAMINED BY FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF PRE IMPACT MALFUNCTION/DIFFICULTY. THE SHERIFF REPORTED THAT THE GRASS ON THE 2,500 FOOT LANG AIRSTRIP WAS TALL (ABOUT 6 INCHES) AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS 85 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.