James Clements Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bay City, Michigan 48706
Wednesday, July 1, 1998 15:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported the airplane swerved and skidded sideways off the runway during the landing roll. The airplane traveled onto a taxiway where it contacted a 3 to 4 inch rise between the grass and the pavement. The right main landing gear collapsed then the rise was contacted. The pilot/builder reported the loss of directional control was a result of an under inflated tailwheel. He reported it should have been inflated to 38 psi due to the extra weight of having a passenger on board.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to assure the tailwheel tire had adequate pressure which resulted in his inability to maintain directional control of the airplane during a landing. Factors associated with the accident were the inadequate pressure and the uneven terrain contacted by the landing gear.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/1/1998
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1520
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BAY CITY
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48706
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport JAMES CLEMENTS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3CM
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 585
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1545 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID MBS
Elevation of weather observation facility 668
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 13
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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 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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 681
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 2 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1318
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N159MK
NTSB Number CHI98LA231
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 KERR
Aircraft Model STARTDUSTER TOO
Aircraft Series Identifier STARTDUSTE
Aircraft Serial Number MK-2
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MATTHEW KERR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 904 FRANK ST.
Aircraft Owner City BAY CITY
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48706
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 3CM
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 3CM
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 3800
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --