- Date
- March 17, 1996, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Celina, OH
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N152JMMulholland Witchawk
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 22, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960317004219A
- Case key
- 28028
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 selection of unsuitable terrain for a precautionary landing.
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 reported that about 10-15 minutes after takeoff, he noticed that the airplane's liquid-cooled engine temperature was higher than normal. He elected to make a precautionary landing in an open bean field. During the landing roll, the landing gear sunk into the mud and the airplane flipped over onto its back.
Factual narrative
On March 17, 1996, at approximately 1430 eastern standard time, a Mulholland Witchawk, N152JM, nosed over and came to rest inverted, following a precautionary landing in a field near Celina, Ohio. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, reported no injuries. The homebuilt airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, no flight plan was filed. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91 and originated in Celina, Ohio, at 1415 eastern standard time.
The pilot reported that the airplane's liquid-cooled engine began to overheat and that he elected to make a precautionary landing in an open bean field. The pilot stated that "...on roll out...the airplane main wheels bogged in the mud causing the airplane to roll over."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N152JM
- Reported as
- Mulholland Witchawk
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 152
- Engine
- Ford 3.8L V6, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Dennis E. Mulholland
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- CQA · Celina, OH
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
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 437 total · 10 in this make and model · 394 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DAY, 39 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.