Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Clarkston, Michigan 48347
Tuesady, May 12, 1998 9:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was flying at 3,500 feet over a 'low level' broken cloud layer. When he thought he was near his destination he descended through a hole in the clouds. Once below the clouds the pilot encountered decreasing clouds and visibility. The pilot elected to land the airplane in an open parking area. Upon touchdown the pilot discovered the surface was wet and covered with loose gravel. Unable to stop the airplane he aborted the landing. Once airborne the airplane contacted trees at the end of the parking area. The pilot reported the sky was obscured and visibility was 0 to 1/4 mile due to fog in the area when the accident occurred. He reported he was informed of fog at his destination during the preflight weather briefing, but it was forecast to dissipate prior to his arrival.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot selected unsuitable terrain on which to make the precautionary landing due to weather. Factors associated with the accident were the fog, low ceiling, poor in-flight planning, the precautionary landing, the loose wet gravel on which the precautionary landing was made, and the trees which the airplane contacted.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/12/1998 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 930 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | CLARKSTON |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 48347 |
| Event Date Year | 1998 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | |
| 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 | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 945 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 190 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PTK |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 980 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 6 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 800 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 3 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 14 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 180 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| 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) | 486 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 12 1998 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1012 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 16 2001 11:55AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5876G |
| NTSB Number | CHI98LA148 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 150K |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 150K |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 15071376 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1065 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | Unknown |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| 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 | HARTINGER AND LUTZ |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | RR 6, BOX 441 |
| Aircraft Owner City | PERU |
| Aircraft Owner State | IN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 46970 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | LAPORTE COUNTY AIR SERVICE |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | MICHIGAN CITY AIRPORT |
| Operator City | MICHIGAN CITY |
| Operator State | IN |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 46360 |
| 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 | MGC |
| Departure City | MICHIGAN CITY |
| Departure State | IN |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 630 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 3BB |
| Destination City | TROY |
| Destination State | MI |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 20 2001 6:29PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 0 |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |