Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grand Haven, Michigan 49417
Monday, March 15, 1993 11:38 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS REPORTEDLY FLYING TO JACKSON, MICHIGAN, TO TAKE A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR PRACTICAL FLIGHT TEST FOR WHICH HE WAS SCHEDULED. THE PILOT DID NOT ARRIVE FOR THE FLIGHT TEST. THE FAA ARTCC COVERING THE FLIGHT AREA IDENTIFIED A TARGET WHICH WAS MOST LIKELY THE MISSING AIRPLANE. THE FLIGHT PATH OF THE AIRPLANE TOWARD THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, AND BEYOND IT, AS ERATIC. THE FLIGHT PATH INCLUDED A NUMBER OF TURNS WITH DESCENTS AND ASCENTS. EVENTUALLY, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED OVER LAKE MICHIGAN. THE LAST RADAR CONTACT WAS 6,700 FEET MSL. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT LOCATED IN SPITE OF AIR AND LAND SEARCHES CONDUCTED BY THE CIVIL AIR PATROL. THE AIRPLANE AND PILOT REMAIN MISSING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

undetermined.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/15/1993
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1138
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City GRAND HAVEN
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49417
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
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 1050 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID TOL
Elevation of weather observation facility 840
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 22000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
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) -6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
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) 1267
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 16 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 Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N15206
NTSB Number CHI93FAMS2
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 Unknown
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28R-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-200
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7335036
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 24 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3086
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SUBURBAN AVIATION, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4383 SECTION ROAD
Aircraft Owner City OTTAWA LAKE
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49267
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SUBURBAN AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4383 SECTION ROAD
Operator City OTTAWA LAKE
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 49267
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 5G9
Departure City LAMBERTVILLE
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1015
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code JXN
Destination City JACKSON
Destination State MI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --