Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Plymouth, Michigan 48170
Saturday, September 3, 1994 8:43 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE COMMERCIAL/PILOT RATED PASSENGER SAID THE TAKEOFF WAS UNEVENTFUL UNTIL THE AIRPLANE REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF A FEW HUNDRED FEET. HE STATED THAT HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE A BACKFIRE AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER. A FORCED LANDING APPROACH WAS MADE TO A SMALL FIELD LOCATED IN A CONGESTED INDUSTRIAL PARK. DURING THE APPROACH, THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A TREE. THE AIRPLANE THEN YAWED, THE LEFT WING DROPPED, AND THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE TERRAIN. INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE. THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT WERE 53 AND 52 DEGREES, RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE FOR SERIOUS CARBURETOR ICING. THE CARBURETOR HEAT WAS FOUND IN THE 'OFF' POSITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

CARBURETOR ICE, AND IMPROPER USE OF (OR FAILURE TO USE) THE CARBURETOR HEAT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: CARBURETOR ICING (WEATHER) CONDITIONS, AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/3/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 843
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PLYMOUTH
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48170
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 845 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID YIP
Elevation of weather observation facility 716
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 700
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1978
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 3 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1020
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8470S
NTSB Number CHI94FA310
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182H
Aircraft Series Identifier 182H
Aircraft Serial Number 18256570
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 3 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LAWRENCE C. GILLELAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9467 MARILYN
Aircraft Owner City PLYMOUTH
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48170
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LAWRENCE C. GILLELAN
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 9467 MARILYN
Operator City PLYMOUTH
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 48170
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SJX
Destination City ST JAMES
Destination State MI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --