Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mio, Michigan 48647
Monday, August 21, 1995 12:53 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane departed runway 27 and obtained about 10 to 30 feet of vertical clearance with the trees at the end of the airport property. It went into a 60 to 90 degrees angle of bank to the left and leveled out for about 1/4 mile. The airplane went into another ninety degree left bank. The airplane hit trees with the left wing pointing down and landed in an inverted position. Witnesses reported the engine had sounded normal with no sputtering during the flight. Examination of the engine and aircraft failed to reveal any anomalies. The reported local winds were 270 degrees at 11 miles per hour, gusting to 20. The toxicology examination indicated that Chlorpheniramine (0.136 ug/ml) was detected in the blood. This drug is not approved for use while piloting an airplane. Chlorpheniramine is an ingredient in Contact. A witness reported that the pilot had not been feeling well, and that the pilot was lethargic and was just in 'slow motion.' The witness reported that the pilot took one Contact in the morning.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's impairment of judgement and performance which led to performing a low altitude maneuver with insufficient altitude for recovery. A factor was the tailwind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/21/1995
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1253
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MIO
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48647
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 8
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1250 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 230
Weather Observation Facility ID HTL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1150
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 19
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1829
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 21 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1509
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N76429
NTSB Number CHI95LA291
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 140
Aircraft Series Identifier 140
Aircraft Serial Number 14010855
Certified Max Gross Weight 1450
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 26 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3152
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THEODORE J. AMBROSE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5291 MELDRUM RD
Aircraft Owner City CASCO
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48064
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 51M
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1253
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 76G
Destination City MARINE CITY
Destination State MI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --