Shamrock Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brooklyn, Michigan 49230
Saturday, September 27, 1997 14:03 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was part of a group of pilots that had been flying their airplanes to various airports on the day of the accident. The four pilots departed in their airplanes for Shamrock Field, Brooklyn, Michigan, where they planned to refuel. They flew in a loose formation with each airplane having 1 to 1.5 miles separation. The four pilots were in communication via their airplane's radios. The first airplane to arrive at the field made an approach to runway 1. The pilot of that airplane reported he saw the accident airplane turning from base leg to final for runway 19. He reported that the accident airplane was low on the horizon. The airplane that was landing on runway 1 bounced on landing, and the pilot did a go-around. The accident pilot acknowledged radio calls concerning the go-around and continued the approach for landing. However, the airplane impacted high tension powerline wires located about 1,490 feet from the approach end of the runway. The powerline towers were about 110 feet high. No anomalies with either the airframe or engine were found during examination of the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

failure of the pilot to see-and-avoid the transmission wires (inadequate visual lookout, and failing to maintain sufficient altitude and clearance from the obstruction).

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/27/1997
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1403
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BROOKLYN
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49230
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SHAMROCK FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 6G8
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 995
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1345 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 350
Weather Observation Facility ID JXN
Elevation of weather observation facility 1001
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
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) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
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) 30
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) 1134
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 27 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1656
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:33PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1269K
NTSB Number CHI97LA304
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Luscombe
Aircraft Model 8A
Aircraft Series Identifier 8A
Aircraft Serial Number 3996
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
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 Jul 23 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHRIS R. WOODARD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 29415 VAN RIPER
Aircraft Owner City FLAT ROCK
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48134
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 3NP
Departure City NAPOLEAN
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 6G8
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 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19
Runway Length 2800
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --