Willow Run Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197
Tuesady, June 8, 1993 5:02 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING HIS INITIAL REVENUE AND SOLO FLIGHT FOR THIS COMPANY, IN THIS TYPE OF AIRPLANE. THE WEATHER FOR TAKEOFF INCLUDED FOG AND LOW CEILINGS. THE AIRPLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A PRIMARY (LEFT) ATTITUDE INDICATOR WHICH WAS ELECTRICALLY OPERATED VIA AN INDEPENDENT SWITCH. THIS AIRCRAFT WAS THE ONLY SUCH AIRPLANE OPERATED BY THIS COMPANY, WITH AN INDEPENDENT SWITCH CONFIGURATION FOR THE PRIMARY ATTITUDE INDICATOR. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN ON THE AIRPORT, JUST AFTER TAKEOFF. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION REVEALED NO ANOMALIES WITH THE ENGINES OR AIRFRAME. THE PRIMARY ATTITUDE INDICATOR WAS LOCATED. ON EXAMINATION IT WAS FOUND TO HAVE A MALFUNCTIONING ON/OFF FLAG WHICH GAVE THE INDICATION OF BEING OPERATIVE REGARDLESS OF POWER TO THE UNIT. NO ROTATIONAL DAMAGE WAS NOTED WITHIN THE GYRO HOUSING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION, FALSE INDICATION (ON/OFF) OF ATTITUDE INDICATOR, AND ATTITUDE INDICATOR SWITCHED OFF. FACTORS WERE FOG, LOW CEILING, THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER USE OF THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR, AND HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF AIRPLANE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/8/1993
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 502
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City YPSILANTI
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48197
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WILLOW RUN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID YIP
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 716
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 505 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID YIP
Elevation of weather observation facility 716
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 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) 1619
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 8 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 515
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:22PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N51FG
NTSB Number CHI93FA193
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model E18S
Aircraft Series Identifier E18S
Aircraft Serial Number BA-324
Certified Max Gross Weight 11500
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection May 13 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 67
Airframe Hours 11916
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AJAX AIRCRAFT LEASING
Aircraft Owner Street Address 32 LOOCKERMAN SQ., STE L-100
Aircraft Owner City DOVER
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19901
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ACTIVE AERO CHARTER, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2064 D STREET
Operator City BELLEVILLE
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 48111
Operator Code BTYA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 502
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SDF
Destination City LOUISVILLE
Destination State KY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 23L
Runway Length 7526
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --