Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Escanaba, Michigan 49829
Friday, July 17, 1992 17:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PILOT ON VFR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED HEAVY PRECIPITATION BETWEEN HIS AIRPLANE AND HIS DESTINATION. WHILE MANEUVERING TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE THE PRECIPITATION, HE SAW A BREAK BETWEEN TWO CELLS. SEVERE TURBULENCE WAS ENCOUNTERED WHEN HE FLEW BETWEEN THE CELLS. STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE EMPENNAGE OF THE AIRPLANE WAS DISCOVERED AFTER LANDING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO FLY INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/17/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1710
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ESCANABA
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49829
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 7
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
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) 460
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 21 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47923
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3488B
NTSB Number CHI92LA209
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model E35
Aircraft Series Identifier E35
Aircraft Serial Number D3709
Certified Max Gross Weight 2725
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 7 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 24
Airframe Hours 6039
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID C. LEE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2810 COOPERS LN.
Aircraft Owner City SELLERSBURG
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 47172
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DAVID C. LEE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2810 COOPERS LN.
Operator City SELLERSBURG
Operator State IN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 47172
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 3CK
Departure City LAKE-IN-HILLS
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ESC
Destination City ESCANABA
Destination State MI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --