- Date
- August 20, 1988, 19:45 local (Aug 21, 1988, 00:45 UTC)
- Place
- Superior, WI
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N39FSmith Miniplane
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 11, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880820034279A
- Case key
- 13894
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While in normal cruise the aircraft experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot executed an emergency descent to a forced landing. The aircraft encountered unsuitable terrain which resulted in a hard landing and substantial damage to the aircraft. The pilot reported no injuries. Subsequent investigation revealed a fracture of the fuel line, had occurred at the point where the pilot/owner had installed an automotive type fuel pressure regulator. The regulator had not been supported properly to guard against the effects of vibration.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N39F
- Reported as
- Smith Miniplane
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- DSA-50-1
- Airframe hours
- 395
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Wayne L. Shelhon
- Registered owner
- William G. Bertrand
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · October 18, 1978 · 24 hours before
- Departed
- Superior, WI
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,458 total · 63 in this make and model · 37 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft overcast
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DLH, 18 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.
Other investigations on N39F · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.