- Date
- July 4, 1991, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lebanon, IN
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N503DBWilbur D. Batman Challenger II
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 9, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910704026319A
- Case key
- 14869
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Failure to maintain stall airspeed while executing a forced landing. A factor related to the accident is failure of the engine starter clutch.
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
Pilot experienced a total loss of engine power after performing a fly over of a private airstrip. Pilot attempted to execute a forced landing within the field boundaries and stalled the aircraft at approximately 30 feet above ground, and impacted in a nose down attitude. Investigation revealed a failed engine starter clutch caused the power loss.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N503DB
- Reported as
- Wilbur D. Batman Challenger II (CHALLENGER)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 90CW0554
- Airframe hours
- 19
- Engine
- Rotax 503, 52 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Wilbur D. Batman
- Registered owner
- Wilbur D. Batman
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · May 24, 1991 · 19 hours before
- Departed
- 614 · IN
- Airport
- NONE · Sport Aircraft Fld.
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
- 58
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 404 total · 17 in this make and model · 314 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,600 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- IND, 22 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.