Brooks Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Marshall, Michigan 49068
Sunday, July 14, 1996 12:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that the winds were from 260 degrees at 10 knots. During the takeoff roll on runway 28, at about 60 miles per hour, he 'began to bring the tail up for a wheel takeoff.... The airplane began to veer to the left.' He 'attempted to get the airplane straight with right rudder and right brake. The airplane ran off of the runway and ground looped on top of a hill.' The airplane sustained substantial damage to the aft fuselage and empennage. Examination of skid marks on the runway revealed that the right side skid mark was 'more pronounced' than the left side skid mark. No evidence of flight control or brake malfunction was discovered.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

failure of the pilot to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll, which resulted in an inadvertent ground swerve. The crosswind (quartering headwind) was a related factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/14/1996
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1250
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MARSHALL
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49068
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BROOKS FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 5D8
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 941
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 11
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1170
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 16 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1036
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:11AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9772Z
NTSB Number CHI96LA243
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 Beech
Aircraft Model C-45H
Aircraft Series Identifier C-45H
Aircraft Serial Number AF-575
Certified Max Gross Weight 8750
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 20 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 9295
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LINDA M. HUMPHREYS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5802 AZTEC LANE
Aircraft Owner City HOWELL
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48843
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 5D8
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 28
Runway Length 3500
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --