Dupont-Lapeer Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lapeer, Michigan 48446
Sunday, October 29, 1995 17:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE HAD CLIMBED TO 500 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AFTER TAKEOFF WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT TURNED THE AIRPLANE AROUND TO LAND ON THE OPPOSITE RUNWAY. WHEN THE AIRPLANE CROSSED THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY, 'THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING AGAIN.' BEFORE THE PILOT COULD CLOSE THE THROTTLE, 'THE AIRPLANE BALLOONED INTO THE AIR.' BECAUSE OF HIS ALTITUDE AND A 10 KNOT TAILWIND, THE PILOT DETERMINED THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO LAND THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT RUNNING OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. HE THEN DECIDED TO ATTEMPT A LANDING ON THE AIRPORT'S DIAGONAL RUNWAY WHICH REQUIRED THE PILOT TO EXECUTE A LEFT 130 DEGREE HEADING CHANGE AT LOW ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED. THE AIRPLANE 'STALLED,' AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN LEFT WING FIRST. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL SYSTEM SHOWED NO INDICATIONS OF FUEL PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE AIRPLANE DID NOT HAVE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR INSTALLED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

fuel exhaustion resulting in engine failure, the inadvertant stall, and improper decision by the pilot to attempt a large heading change at low altitude and airspeed. A factor relating to this accident is no fuel quantity gage installed in the airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/29/1995
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City LAPEER
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48446
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DUPONT-LAPEER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID D95
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 844
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2110
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 30 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 825
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:39PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N84124
NTSB Number CHI96LA023
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 7AC-2811
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 950
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SUTTON AVIATION, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1232 ROODS LAKE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City LAPEER
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48446
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 D95
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
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 Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 21 2007 4:01PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\HAMG
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 9
Runway Length 1900
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --