Dalton Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Flushing, Michigan 48433
Saturday, May 17, 1997 22:25 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot kept the airplane's altitude high on final approach at night due to trees at the end of the runway. When the airplane touched down, he could see that it was approaching the departure end of the runway. At that point, the pilot initiated an aborted landing; however, the airplane impacted trees off the departure end of the runway.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's misjudgment of distance and speed on final approach, his failure to attain the proper touchdown point for landing, and his delay in initiating a go-around (aborted landing). Factors related to the accident were: darkness, and the proximity of trees.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/17/1997
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2225
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FLUSHING
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48433
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DALTON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3DA
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 733
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2254 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 340
Weather Observation Facility ID KFN
Elevation of weather observation facility 782
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 547
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 17 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N625EE
NTSB Number CHI97LA136
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 Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-23294
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 4
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 --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHARLES D. HUNT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3414 AGUSTA ST
Aircraft Owner City FLINT
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48503
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 No
Departure Airport Code 9G2
Departure City FLINT
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 2200
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 3DA
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 36
Runway Length 2510
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --