# NTSB CHI98LA346: Needham Glastar, N37JN, Allison, IA, August 30, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 30, 1998, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC) - Place: Allison, IA - Coordinates: 42.749282, -92.790344 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.7493&lon=-92.7903&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 15, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 43836 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI98LA346 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/43836/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA346 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, landing - airspeed - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, landing ## Analysis The pilot was performing short field takeoffs and landings. The airplane was on final approach, approximately 25 to 50 feet above the ground, at an airspeed of 50 miles per hour, and in a high angle of attack, when the pilot reduced power to descend for a short field landing. The airplane immediately stalled and impacted on the runway. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies. ## Factual narrative On August 30, 1998, at 1830 central daylight time (cdt), a Needham Glastar, N37JN, operated by a commercial pilot, sustained substantial damage when during landing the airplane stalled and impacted the runway at Allison Municipal Airport, Allison, Iowa. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. There was no flight plan on file. The pilot reported no injuries. The local flight originated at Allison, Iowa, at 1820 cdt. In his written statement, the pilot said that he was performing short field takeoffs and landings. The airplane was on final approach, approximately 25 to 50 feet above the ground, at an airspeed of 50 miles per hour, and in a high angle of attack, when the pilot reduced power to descend for a short field landing. The airplane immediately stalled and impacted on the runway. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane at the Allison Airport. The tubular frame around the cabin was bent and broken. The left main landing gear was bent upward. The left wing tip was fractured. The left wing aileron control cable pulley was bent upward. The bottom forward fuselage, aft of the engine cowling, showed skin wrinkles. The bottom part of the firewall was buckled. The tips of the two propeller blades were bent aft. Flight control continuity was confirmed. No anomalies were revealed with the engine, engine controls or other airplane systems. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N37JN](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N37JN), registered now, S/N 5373, built 1997 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Needham GLASTAR - Registry model: [Needham Thomas D GLASTAR](https://openairdocs.org/model/needham-thomas-d-glastar) (registry code 05605M8) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 5373 - Airframe hours: 88 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-D1F 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Allison Bible Church - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, July 29, 1998, 4 hours before - Departed: K98 - Airport: K98, Allison Municipal Airport, runway 36, 1,790 × 175 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 627 total, 88 in this make and model, 489 as pilot in command, 88 in the last 90 days, 80 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 0° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: ALO, 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19980830022489A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980830022489A), Aug 30, 1998: Amtr GLASTAR, Allison, IA, Substantial damage. Acft stalled and landed hard. (-23) Mr. Needham indicated that he was practicing short field landings at the Allison, Iowa, airport, when he stalled the… 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.