# NTSB CHI01LA120: American General AG5B, N118VU, Culver, IN, April 22, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 22, 2001, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC) - Place: Culver, IN - Coordinates: 41.210617, -86.419013 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.2106&lon=-86.4190&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 9, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 52125 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI01LA120 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52125/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI01LA120 ## Probable cause the wrong runway selected by the pilot which resulted in a tailwind landing condition. Factors to the accident were the tailwind, the wet runway, the reduced braking action, and the airport perimeter fence. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, cruise - normal - Overrun, landing - roll - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - precautionary landing - initiated, pilot in command - wrong runway - selected, pilot in command (cause) - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - wet (contributing factor) - brakes(normal) - reduced (contributing factor) - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - fence (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he encountered deteriorating in-flight visibilities and rain along his route of flight and elected to land at the Fleet Field Airport. The pilot reported that during the landing, on runway 34 (2,400 feet by 75 feet, wet/asphalt), braking action was poor due to the wet runway condition. The pilot stated that the aircraft overran the end of the runway, struck the airport perimeter fence, and finally coming to rest on a perimeter road. No anomalies were found with the aircraft control systems, including the brake system, which could be associated with any preexisting condition. At the time of the accident, weather data indicated the winds were 180-degrees magnetic at 6-knots. ## Factual narrative On April 22, 2001, at 1100 eastern standard time, a American General Aircraft AG5B, N118VU, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage during a precautionary landing on runway 34 (2,400 feet by 65 feet, wet/asphalt) at the Fleet Field Airport, Culver, Indiana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The cross-country flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 and was not on a flight plan. The pilot, the sole occupant, reported no injuries. The flight departed the Lawrenceville-Vincennes Airport, Lawrenceville, Illinois, at 0915. According to the pilot's written statement, the weather conditions were sky clear, with no visibility restrictions, from his departure airport to West Lafayette, Indiana. The pilot reported, "I really didn't encounter the bad weather until I was around Culver when I started to experience haze. The further north I went the more extensive the cloud coverage. I dropped down to 2500 from 3500 ft to avoid the clouds. When doing so, I started to encounter mist. The mist turned into a light rain so I turned 180[degrees] to head back to clear weather. I noticed to the west and southwest there were gray clouds. I knew Plymouth was close by and I thought may be that I could make it there so I could utilize the longer runway. The mist and light rain continued and started to obscure my vision out of the front of the aircraft. I felt the conditions were getting worse so I called up Flight Watch. Chicago Flight Watch answered and I told him that, "I was a VFR pilot encountering IFR conditions." His instructions to me were, "To land as soon as possible." Being an inexperienced pilot, I took his advice and elected to land at Culver." The pilot stated, "I made two low passes to check out the airport and surroundings. The surroundings consisted of woods and trees. I didn't see any type of wind direction device until after I was on the ground. Anyways, on my third approach everything was alright. The landing was good and right down the center. However, when I applied the brakes, they locked up and the plane started to slide with some hydroplaning. I didn't have enough room to clear the trees at the end of the runway if I elected to do a go around so I continued with trying to stop the plane. The plane ended up sliding straight off the runway, crashing through a fence, and came to a hault [halt] on the road." No anomalies were found with the aircraft control systems, including the brake system, which could be associated with any preexisting condition. A weather observation station, located at the Goshen Municipal Airport, Goshen, Indiana, 32 nautical miles northeast of the Fleet Field Airport, reported the weather as: Observation Time: 1053 est Wind: 180-degrees at 6 knots Visibility: 3 statute miles Sky Condition: Light Rain Mist Scattered 1,700 feet above ground level (agl) Broken 2,100 feet agl Broken 7,500 feet agl Temperature: 19-degrees centigrade Dew Point Temperature: 18-degrees centigrade Pressure: 30.22 inches of mercury ## Aircraft - Registration: [N118VU](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N118VU), registered now, S/N 10049, built 1991 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: American General Aircraft AG5B - Registry model: [American General Acft AG5B](https://openairdocs.org/model/american-general-acft-ag5b) (registry code 3990100) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 10049 - Airframe hours: 4100 - Engines: Lycoming O-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Board of Trustees for Vincennes University - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, March 27, 2001 - Departed: LWV, LAWRENCEVILLE, IL - Destination: GRR, GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Airport: IN73, Fleet Field Airport, runway 34, 2,400 × 65 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 18; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review January 30, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 118 total, 118 in this make and model, 27 as pilot in command, 51 in the last 90 days, 32 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 6 knots - Visibility: 3 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,100 ft broken - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 30.21 inHg - Observed at: GSH, 37 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20010422013619A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010422013619A), Apr 22, 2001: Amrgen AG5B, Culver, IN, Substantial damage. (.19)On April 22, 2001, at 1100 eastern standard time, an American general aircraft AG5B, N118VU, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.