Whittman WD (BIGX) N31637

Summary

On 19 July 1986 at about 15:55 local time, a Whittman WD (BIGX) registered N31637 was involved in an accident near Sheldahl, Iowa, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

19 July 1986 at 15:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Sheldahl, Iowa, United States

Coordinates

41.8592, -93.6896

Aircraft

Whittman WD (BIGX)

Registration

N31637

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Des Moines → Mason City

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MKC86FA151

3 people died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WITNESSES STATE THAT THEY SAW TWO AIRPLANES, ONE SILVER AND ONE RED, CLIMBING NORTHBOUND TO CRUISE ALTITUDE IN LOOSE FORMATION WHEN THE RED AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE BACKFIRED AND THE ANTIQUE FABRIC-COVERED AIRCRAFT STARTED BURNING. FLAMES FIVE TO EIGHT FEET IN LENGTH BEGAN CONSUMING THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT BOTTOM ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND FUSELAGE UNDERSIDE AS THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING AN EMERGENCY DESCENT INTO A SOY BEAN FIELD, ACCORDING TO WITNESSES. THE AIRCRAFT HAD THE FIELD MADE, AND WAS AT APPROXIMATELY FIVE HUNDRED FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL WHEN THE LEFT WING CAUGHT FIRE, THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED INVERTED, AND NOSED DIVED INTO THE SOY BEAN FIELD WHERE IT EXPLODED ON IMPACT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.