# Accident 19990703008059A: Amtr DSA1, Black Duck, MN, July 3, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 3, 1999, 20:20 local time
- Place: Black Duck, MN
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 47.7198° N, 94.5402° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.7198&lon=-94.5402&mi=10
- Aircraft: N535Y, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N535Y-2012-09-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Smith Miniplane DSA-1 (registry code 83501SF, https://openairdocs.org/model/smith-miniplane-dsa-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-290 series (registry code 41506, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR DSA1
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI99FA213](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99FA213) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990703008059A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.19) ON JULY 3, 1999, AT 2020 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A LARSON SMITH MINIPLANE DSA-1, OWNED AND PILOTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITHT HE TERRAIN FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE MANEUVERING NEAR BLACKDUCK, MINNESOTA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATING UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 AND WAS NOT ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT, AND SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE LOCAL FLIGHT DEPARTED A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP NEAR BLACKDUCK, MINNESOTA, AT 2000. A WITNESS TO THE ACCIDENT STATED THAT THE PILOT ARRIVED AT THE PRIVATE AIRSTRIP AROUND 1940 AND MENTIONED THAT HE WOULD BE GOING FOR A LOCAL AEROBATIC FLIGHT. THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE PILOT DEPARTED THE AIRSTRIP APPROXIMATELY TWWENTY MINUTES AFTER HE ARRIVED. THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD COMPLETED A SERIES OF LOOPS, ROLLS, AND HAMMERHEADS PRIOR TO THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONDUCTING THE MANEUVERS AROUND 3,000 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL). THE WITNESS REPORTED THAT DURING ONE OF THE RECOVERIES FROM A HAMMERHEAD MANEUVER THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND ENTERED     A NOSE-LOW SPIRALING PATH TOWARDS THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE WAS CONDUCTED AND THE CONTROL SYSTEM WAS EXAMINED. THE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR THE ELEVATOR AND AILERONS CONSISTS OF PUSH-PULL RODS/TUBES. THE ALUMINUM PUSH-PULL TUBES AND ROD END BEARINGS FOR THE ELEVATOR AND AILERONS WERE PRESENT AND EXHIBITED CONTINUITY. THE RUDDER CABLES WERE FOUND AND CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED. A WEATHER OBSERVATION STATION, AT THE BEMIDJI-BELTRAMI COUNTY AIRPORT, LOCATED 25 STATUE MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, WAS REPORTING SCATTERED CLOUDS AT 2,500 FEET AGL, A BROKEN CEILING AT 4,000 FEET AGL, AND WINDS OUT OF THE SOUTHEAST AT 7 KNOTS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. (-23)WHILE PERFORMING A HAMMERHEAD, THE A/C WAS OBSERVED LEVELING OFF FROM A DIVE AND THEN GOING INTO A "TAILSPIN" TO THE GROUND. THE WITNESS REPORTED THE ENGINE RUNNING WELL. HE HEARD NO UNUSUAL SOUNDS AND DID NOT SEE ANYTHING DEPART THE AIRPLANE. WE DID NOT NOTE ANY PARTS MISSING FROM THE A/C AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. NO A/C OR PILOT LOGBOOKS HAVE BEEN FOUND. NO PAPERWORK  WAS FOUND AT THE ACCIDENT SITE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI99FA213](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99FA213), Jul 4, 1999: Larson Smith Miniplane DSA-1 (N535Y), Blackduck, MN, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: Aircraft control not being maintained by the pilot. Factors to the accident were the aerobatic maneuvers being flown by the pilot and the encountered spiral.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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