- Date
- July 19, 1993, 08:00 local (13:00 UTC)
- Place
- Grinnell, IA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8815WBellanca DW-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 17, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930719024429A
- Case key
- 9244
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
the loss of engine power due to undetermined reason(s). A factor in the accident is the soft field landing site.
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
The pilot stated he was taking off in the ag spray plane to began an aerial application flight over nearby fields. Shortly after takeoff, he said the engine lost partial power, and he was unable to get the airplane more than 100' to 150' above the ground. He attempted to return to his departure airport, but the airplane began to settle despite full throttle. He made an off airport landing on a soft field. The airplane nosed over during the landing roll.
Factual narrative
On July 19, 1993, about 0800 central daylight time, a Bellanca DW-1 airplane, N8815W, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing on a wheat field near Grinnell, Iowa. The solo commercial pilot was not injured. The aerial application flight operated in visual meteorological conditions without plan under 14 CFR Part 137. The flight originated from the Grinnell Airport at 0757.
The pilot reported that takeoff seemed normal but the airplane seemed to lose some power shortly thereafter, and was unable to climb more than 100 to 150 feet above the ground despite full throttle. He stated he flew approximately two miles at this altitude and had turned around towards the departure runway when the airplane began settling towards the terrain. He was forced to land in a soft field, and the airplane nosed over during the landing roll.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8815W
- Reported as
- Bellanca DW-1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- DW10095-83
- Airframe hours
- 1,342
- Engine
- Lycoming M1B5D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Lowry Flying Service, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 25, 1993 · 38 hours before
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
- 41
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 2,400 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 2,100 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.