Davis HEATH MODEL V accident near Valparaiso, Indiana, May 20, 1988
On May 20, 1988 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Davis HEATH MODEL V, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N312HD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Valparaiso, Indiana (Porter County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 1988 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Valparaiso, Indiana · Porter County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Davis HEATH MODEL V HEATH MODE, amateur-built
- Registration
- N312HD · no longer on the register · serial 2HD1931
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT WHEN HE APPLIED POWER TO TAKEOFF, THE ACFT 'PULLED TO THE RIGHT.' HE SAID THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE, BUT TOUCHED DOWN AGAIN & CONTD TO GO TO THE RIGHT. ALSO, HE SAID HE TRIED TO CORRECT THE SITUATION WITH LEFT RUDDER, BUT THE RUDDER SEEMED TO BE LOCKED & WOULD NOT MOVE. HE THEN NOTICED THE ACFT WAS HEADING TOWARD AN ILS TOWER, SO HE 'BANKED A LITTLE MORE TO THE RIGHT AND MISSED THE TOWER.' MOMENTS LATER, THE ACFT HIT THE GROUND. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 210 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 192 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 127 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 6, 1988; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 741 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen 1834 CC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VPZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:52 pm from SBN, 36 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.