Bar/Curtiss JN-4D N38057
26 June 2002 · Owatonna, Minnesota, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 26 June 2002 at about 13:38 local time, a Bar/Curtiss JN-4D registered N38057 was involved in an accident near Owatonna, Minnesota, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 13:38
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Owatonna, Minnesota, United States
- Nearest airport
- Owatonna Degner Rgnl Airport (OWA)
- Coordinates
- 44.1178, -93.2675
- Aircraft
- Bar/Curtiss JN-4D
- Registration
- N38057
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Owatonna → Owatonna
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CHI02LA176
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the takeoff climb resulting in an inadvertent stall. A factor associated with the accident was the low altitude at which the stall occurred.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The airplane impacted power lines and the terrain following a loss of control shortly after takeoff. A witness reported seeing the airplane in an 80-degree left bank turn. It looked like the airplane was not climbing, but rather was in a level turn just above the treetops. The airplane then entered a steep nose-down attitude, rotated to the left, and went straight down. The airplane was a replica of a 1917 bi-wing Curtiss Jenny, which was powered by a 90 horsepower, liquid cooled, Curtiss OX-5 engine. The airplane had been completed approximately 6 months prior to the accident. Estimates about the number of times the pilot had flown the airplane varied between two and five times. Inspection of the wreckage failed to reveal any pre-existing failure/malfunction which would have resulted in the loss of control. The passenger on the airplane, who was also one of the builders, stated that in his opinion, the airplane was too underpowered to recover from a stall at a low altitude.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Jan 2002 | Wolter AVID FLYER | Rush City, Minnesota, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 11 Jun 2002 | Bell 47G-2A-1 | Jordan, Minnesota, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 5 Sep 2002 | Cessna 152 | Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 4 Jul 2002 | Hale KITFOX MODEL III | Fairmont, Minnesota, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 25 Aug 2002 | Mooney M20C | Warroad, Minnesota, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 9 Nov 2002 | Beechcraft D35 | Dodge Center, Minnesota, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |