- Date
- September 10, 1988, 08:45 local (13:45 UTC)
- Place
- Converse, IN
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N46876Fairchild PT-19
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 3, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 19880910038079I19880910039679A
- Case key
- 14161
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
During initial climbout after takeoff, the aircraft experienced a loss of engine power. After an unsuccessful attempt to restart the engine, the pilot executed a forced landing in a corn field. Post accident exam revealed a broken universal joint in the fuel selector. There was no fuel found forward of the fuel selector.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N46876
- Reported as
- Fairchild PT-19
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- T421957
- Airframe hours
- 2,210
- Engine
- Ranger 6-440 C2, 175 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Wilhelm, Virgle H.
- Registered owner
- Wilhelm, Virgle H
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 30, 1988 · 7 hours before
- Departed
- 1I8 · Converse, IN
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
- 44
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 891 total · 8 in this make and model · 843 as pilot in command · 46 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GUS, 13 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.