Adopted: March 8, 1944

File No. 4152-43

REPORT OF THE CIVIL AERONAUTICS BOARD

on the

Investigation of an Accident Involving Aircraft

During a Local Instruction Flight

An accident which occurred 3 miles southwest of Harlem Airport, Oak Lawn, Illinois, about 4.55 p.m. on September 30, 1943, resulted in fatal injuries to Instructor Charles Ernest Affeld and serious injuries to his student, Milton Albert Streuter. Affeld held a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine land, 0-80 h.p., and flight instructor ratings, and had lodged approximately 425 hours of flight time. Streater was not certificated as an airman. He had received about 5 hours of the instruction time. The aircraft, a Piper J5A, NC 32888, owned by Sarburban Aviation Corporation, was demolished.

Instructor Affeld and Student Streuter took off from Harlem Airport about 3:52 p.m. on a local instruction flight in stalls and spins. The plane was climbed to approximately 3000 feet and after the procedure for clearing turns and stalls had been demonstrated, the student took over the controls and practiced these maneuvers. Spin practice followed. Climbing to around 3000 feet each time, the spins were continued to about 1600 feet above the ground with orientated recovery after two full turns. The student remembered repeating these maneuvers five or six times but recalled nothing thereafter. No witnesses were found who had seen the plane early enough in its final maneuver to give an account of its attitude when control was lost. However, three witnesses observed the plane at different altitudes variously estimated at between 70 and 500 feet, descending in an almost vertical dive, and were agreed that it was not spinning. None of the witnesses heard the engine and apparently little or no power was being applied at the time of impact. The plane struck the soft ground almost vertically on the nose, landing gear and left wing.

Examination of the wreckage indicated that the leading edge of the wings may have sustained damage prior to impact. The indication of failure were based on the appearance of the nose ribs which revealed multiple fractures of an irregular nature and are consistent with the possibility that a failure occurred in the air and that additional damage was sustained upon impact with the ground. However, in view of insufficient evidence it is not possible to conclude definitely that such failure did occur. The ignition switch (both magnetoes) was found in the “on” position and the throttle was one-half open, possibly moved to that portion by impact. The fuel supply was ample and from the manner in which the propeller was broken little or no power was being developed at the time of impact.

Due to the student’s inability to remember what had happened and lack of information on the type of maneuvers engaged in when control was lost, the probable cause of this accident was not determined.

BY THE BOARD

/s/ Fred A. Toombs

Secretary