Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Tri-City Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Freeland, Michigan 48640
Thursday, March 5, 1992 15:04 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
WHILE LOADING A PATIENT & HIS PERSONAL GEAR IN THE AIRCRAFT FOR AN AIR AMBULANCE FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT TIPPED ONTO ITS TAIL. AS A RESULT, THE TAIL BUMPER WAS FORCED UPWARD INTO THE BELLY OF THE EMPENNAGE. THE PILOT REFUSED THE OFFER TO HAVE A MECHANIC LOOK AT THE DAMAGE, AND REMARKED 'THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE.' AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT RADIOED TO THE TOWER THAT HE HAD A JAMMED ELEVATOR, AND WAS COMING AROUND TO LAND. WHILE MANUEVERING ON A BASE LEG, CONTROL WAS LOST & THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO CRASH WITH ONE WING PERPENDICULAR TO THE GROUND. ANOTHER AIRPLANE WAS IN THE TAKEOFF POSITION ON THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE WAS CONFIGURED WITH A HOSPITAL LITTER/STRETCHER AND OXYGEN BOTTLE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CABIN. THERE WAS NO RECORD FOR THE APPROVAL FOR, OR INSTALLATION OF, THE STRETCHER. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS NO WEIGHT & BALANCE RECORD FOR THE AIRPLANE WITH THE STRETCHER INSTALLATION.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT IN ATTEMPTING FLIGHT AFTER THE AIRPLANE'S FUSELAGE WAS DAMAGED DURING A LOADING OPERATION. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE OPERATOR'S FAILURE TO PROVIDE PROPER WEIGHT AND BALANCE DATA FOR THE AIRPLANE, THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SUPERVISE THE LOADING OPERATION, AND HIS FAILURE TO ACCEPT THE SERVICES OF A MECHANIC TO INSPECT THE DAMAGE.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/5/1992 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1504 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | FREELAND |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 48640 |
| Event Date Year | 1992 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | TRI-CITY INTL AIRPORT |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MBS |
| 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 | 668 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1450 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MBS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 668 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 9500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 9500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 1 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 4 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 3 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 40 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 2510 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | 0 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | 47271 |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 11 2000 2:47PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N69662 |
| NTSB Number | CHI92FA104 |
| 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 | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | 414 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 414 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 414-0621 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 6350 |
| 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 | 7 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 28 1992 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 15 |
| Airframe Hours | 4106 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | TIFFANY AIR, INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 415 BELLAIRE |
| Aircraft Owner City | HOT SPRINGS |
| Aircraft Owner State | AR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 71901 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | AIRBORNE FLYING SERVICE, INC. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 525 AIRPORT RD. |
| Operator City | HOT SPRINGS |
| Operator State | AR |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 71913 |
| Operator Code | PQGA |
| 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 | Passenger Only |
| 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 | 1501 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | MDW |
| Destination City | CHICAGO |
| Destination State | IL |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach |
| 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 | 5 |
| Runway Length | 8002 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |