- Date
- February 8, 1999, 17:20 local (23:20 UTC)
- Place
- Hiwasse, AR
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9194XMiller/Bell TR-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 25, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 45765
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 pilot's inadequate compensation for prevailing wind conditions. Factors were the crosswind, the lack of suitable terrain, and the separation of the adell clamp for the oil cooler inlet line.
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 aircraft collided with a hog-house during a precautionary landing after the engine oil pressure dropped to zero. The pilot set up for a landing in an east-west oriented field; however, the wind was from the south at 12 knots gusting to 20 knots. During the landing flare, the wind pushed the airplane into the side of a poultry house, resulting in the aircraft spinning around and coming to rest in the field. The pilot inspected the engine compartment and found that the adell clamp on the oil-cooler inlet line had 'separated' allowing the engine oil to drain out.
Factual narrative
On February 8, 1999, approximately 1720 central standard time, a Miller/Bell TR-1 amateur-built experimental airplane, N9194X, was substantially damaged when it impacted a building during a precautionary landing near Hiwasse, Arkansas. The private pilot and his passenger, who were the builders and owners of the airplane, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 local flight, which originated from Smith Field, Siloam Springs, Arkansas, approximately 1635.
According to the enclosed Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), and telephone interviews conducted by the investigator-in-charge, the pilot stated that approximately 45 minutes into the flight he heard the engine noise change. The pilot then checked the oil pressure, which indicated zero. After reducing engine power, the pilot elected to make a precautionary landing on a road adjacent to a field and a hog-house. The pilot stated that the winds were from the south; however, the road ran along an east-west heading. According to the pilot, during the landing flare, the wind pushed the aircraft into the side of the hog-house. The aircraft's right wing scraped the side of hog-house causing the airplane to spin around and impact a three foot extension of the building.
At 1139, the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport weather observation facility, which is approximately 15 miles northeast of the accident site, was reporting the wind from 180 degrees at 12 knots gusting to 20 knots.
The FAA inspector reported that the left wing spar was damaged and the nose gear collapsed. According to the pilot, upon inspection of the aircraft following the accident, he noticed that the adell clamp for the oil cooler inlet line had "separated," which allowed the oil to spill overboard.
The airplane had accumulated a total of 41 hours since its original airworthiness inspection dated April 17,1998.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9194X
- Reported as
- Miller/Bell TR-1
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 088
- Airframe hours
- 41
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-C2C, 108 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Bobby R. Miller
- Registered owner
- Orville And Wilbur Airplane Co
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 17, 1998 · 41 hours before
- Departed
- SLG · Siloam Springs, AR
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
- 66
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 560 total · 41 in this make and model · 530 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- XNA, 15 nm away