Ludington-Mason County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ludington, Michigan 49431
Friday, March 26, 1993 1:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED HE RECALLS MAKING ONE INSTRUMENT APPROACH TO THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. ATC AND RADAR DATA INDICATE THE PILOT PERFORMED TWO NDB (NONPRECISION) APPROACHES TO RUNWAY 25 AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES AND TERRAIN IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA ON THE WEST BOUNDARY OF THE AIRPORT. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT 0130 HOURS EASTERN STANDARD TIME. THE AIRPORT MANAGER'S WEATHER OBSERVATION WAS INDEFINITE CEILING, SKY OBSCURED, 1/4 MILE VISIBILITY IN FOG, WITH WINDS OUT OF THE WEST AT FIVE KNOTS. WHEN HE MISSED THE FIRST APPROACH, THE PILOT TOLD ATC HE '...DID GET THE RUNWAY IN SIGHT BUT COULDN'T LAND... .' THE PILOT MET FAA REQUIREMENTS FOR INSTRUMENT CURRENCY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's improper instrument procedures. Related factors are the below approach minima weather conditions, fog and dark night.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/26/1993
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 130
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City LUDINGTON
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49431
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LUDINGTON-MASON COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LDM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 300
Airport Elevation 642
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0.25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
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) 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 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1258
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 27 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:11PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8945G
NTSB Number CHI93FA118
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182N
Aircraft Series Identifier 182N
Aircraft Serial Number 18260485
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 Oct 3 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 186
Airframe Hours 3237
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KESLING, ROBERT W.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4830 N. AMBER ROAD
Aircraft Owner City SCOTTVILLE
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49454
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KESLING, ROBERT W.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4830 N. AMBER ROAD
Operator City SCOTTVILLE
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 49454
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 Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FNT
Departure City FLINT
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 3
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:11PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --