Michigan City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Michigan City, Indiana 46360
Tuesady, November 28, 1995 4:45 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE WAS PICKING UP OCCASIONAL LIGHT RIME ICE IN THE CLOUDS WHILE IN IMC CRUISE FLIGHT AT 4,000 FEET. THE PILOT TURNED ON THE ANTI-ICE AND DEICING SYSTEMS. DURING DESCENT, THE PILOT REPORTED VFR CONDITIONS AND THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS CLEAN OF ICE. THE PILOT PLANNED FOR A VISUAL APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY. ANTICIPATING THAT THE RUNWAY MAY BE SLICK, A SHORT FIELD APPROACH AND LANDING WAS EXECUTED. ON FINAL APPROACH, AND AT 85 KNOTS, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED 'A SUDDEN LOSS OF LIFT.' THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED RECEIVING NO VISUAL OR AURAL INDICATIONS OF AN IMPENDING STALL. THE CESSNA 310R PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK REFERENCES THE MINIMUM MULTI-ENGINE APPROACH SPEED FOR THE AIRPLANE TO BE 93 KIAS AT A GROSS WEIGHT OF 5,400 POUNDS. THIS SPEED DECREASES BY APPROXIMATELY FOUR KNOTS FOR EACH 400 POUND REDUCTION IN AIRPLANE GROSS WEIGHT. THE AIRPLANE'S GROSS WEIGHT WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,218 POUNDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot-in-command's selecting and maintaining an improper approach speed.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/28/1995
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 445
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City MICHIGAN CITY
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46360
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MICHIGAN CITY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MGC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport 200
Airport Elevation 655
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 3100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 655
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1587
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 7 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5CX
NTSB Number CHI96LA047
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 310R
Aircraft Series Identifier 310R
Aircraft Serial Number 0224
Certified Max Gross Weight 5500
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Oct 26 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 23
Airframe Hours 10195
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TULIP CITY AIR SERVICE, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1581 S. WASHINGTON AVE
Aircraft Owner City HOLLAND
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49423
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BIV
Departure City HOLLAND
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 515
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code MGC
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 2
Runway Length 4100
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --