Dowagiac Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dowagiac, Michigan 49047
Sunday, February 13, 1994 13:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID HE DECIDED TO PRACTICE A TAXI RUN ON RUNWAY 27 BEFORE TAKEOFF. HE SAID THAT DURING THE TAXI RUN, HE APPLIED ABOUT 50 PERCENT OF THE ENGINE POWER, AND THE AIRPLANE'S TAILWHEEL LIFTED OFF THE GROUND. THE PILOT SAID THAT WHEN THE TAIL LIFTED OFF, THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE RIGHT TOWARD A (RUNWAY) LIGHT AND A SNOW BANK. HE SAID HE REDUCED POWER AND CORRECTED WITH RUDDER, BUT THEN TO AVOID A COLLISION, HE '. . . LIFTED THE AIRCRAFT OVER . . .' THE SNOWBANK. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT CLEARED (HOPPED OVER) THE SNOWBANK, IT SETTLED INTO SNOW AND NOSED OVER. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE WIND WAS FROM THE SOUTH AT 5 TO 10 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 12 KNOTS. HE HAD ONLY ABOUT 6 HOURS IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRCRAFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT GROUND SWERVE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRCRAFT, THE CROSSWIND, AND SNOW BESIDE THE RUNWAY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/13/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1345
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City DOWAGIAC
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49047
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DOWAGIAC MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID C91
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 750
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1357 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 303
Weather Observation Facility ID BEH
Elevation of weather observation facility 643
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 12
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 54
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 14 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 10:39AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N81616
NTSB Number CHI94LA086
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AERONCA
Aircraft Model 7AC
Aircraft Series Identifier 7AC
Aircraft Serial Number 222
Certified Max Gross Weight 1220
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 17 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3451
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN C. AMUNDSEN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 110 S. CENTER
Aircraft Owner City HARTFORD
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49057
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LARRY T. COUNCELL
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6174 SNYDER RD.
Operator City BERRIEN SPRINGS
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 49103
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code C91
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1345
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --