Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Greenville, Michigan 48838
Friday, September 8, 1995 18:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane lifted off runway 18 beyond a point where witnesses were accustomed to seeing it lift off. Shortly after liftoff the airplane began striking trees along its flight path and descended onto the ground. The on-scene examination revealed a chemical dump on the runway about 130 feet north of the runway's departure end. The pilot's autopsy report showed myocarditis of the heart's left ventricle. It also showed hardening of the kidney's arteries. The pathologist's report stated the myocarditis may have caused an arhythmia which might have caused the pilot to lose consciousness. The FAA's toxicological report showed an unstated amount of norpropoxyphene in the urine sample.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

pilot incapacitation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/8/1995
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1810
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City GREENVILLE
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48838
Event Date Year 1995
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 Witness
Time of the weather observation 1810 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 355
Weather Observation Facility ID 6D6
Elevation of weather observation facility 855
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 1920
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 10 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1810
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:35PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5623J
NTSB Number CHI95LA316
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
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 188
Aircraft Series Identifier 188
Aircraft Serial Number 18800573
Certified Max Gross Weight 4000
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 3366
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WELLS HELICOPTER SERVICE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10860 11 MILE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City GREENVILLE
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48838
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 Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code RLA
Departure City
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1810
Departure Time Zone EST
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 Takeoff
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 --