Consolidated-Vultee BT-13A N79752

Summary

On 29 July 1994 at about 03:23 local time, a Consolidated-Vultee BT-13A registered N79752 was involved in an accident near Racine, Wisconsin, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 July 1994 at 03:23

Classification

Accident

Location

Racine, Wisconsin, United States

Nearest airport

John H. Batten Field (RAC)

Coordinates

42.7505, -87.8104

Aircraft

Consolidated-Vultee BT-13A

Registration

N79752

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Waukegan

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CHI94FA248

2 people died.

LOSS OF POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASON(S). THE DARK NIGHT WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

WITNESSES HEARD THE VINTAGE WWII TRAINER TAKING OFF AT NIGHT. THEY REPORTED THAT DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB, THE ENGINE SOUND VARIED FROM HIGH TO LOW RPM 4 TIMES, THEN THEY HEARD THE AIRPLANE COLLIDE WITH THE TWO-STORY APARTMENT BUILDING. A PILOT APPROACHING TO LAND AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT REPORTED SEEING THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE AT LOW ALTITUDE AND '...NOT CLIMBING OR CLIMBING AT A VERY SHALLOW ANGLE.' OTHER WITNESSES DESCRIBED THE ENGINE AS 'SPUTTERING' AND 'BACKFIRING.' AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE'S 10:1 COLLECTOR INTERMEDIATE GEAR HAD TWO TEETH MISSING. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE FRACTURES BY THE SAFETY BOARD REVEALED FEATURES CONSISTENT WITH OVERSTRESS SEPARATION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.