Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mason, Michigan 48844
Saturday, August 1, 1992 15:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED PERFORMING A LOW PASS TO THE RUNWAY. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE LOW PASS, THE AIRPLANE BEGAN A CLIMBING LEFT TURN. AS THE AIRPLANE GAINED ALTITUDE IT BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN ACCORDING TO WITNESSES. AT AN ESTIMATED ALTITUDE OF 300 TO 400 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND THE AIRPLANE ROLLED TO THE RIGHT, PERFORMING A HALF TURN SPIN BEFORE COLLIDING WITH THE GROUND. THE ON SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES WITH THE AIRFRAME OR POWER PLANT. THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE ROTATED OPPOSITE THE NORMAL U.S. CERTIFIED AIRPLANE ENGINES. DURING THE INVESTIGATION IT WAS REVEALED THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE EXPERIENCE IN THE AIRPLANE. AN EYE WITNESS STATED HE HAD SPOKEN WITH THE PILOT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT AND ADVISED HIM TO OBTAIN SOME DUAL INSTRUCTION BEFORE FLYING THE AIRPLANE SOLO; OR AT LEAST DO SOME TOUCH AND GO'S BEFORE GOING ANYWHERE IN THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK REVEALED HE HAD NO TIME LOGGED IN THE MAKE AND MODEL AIRPLANE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S OVER-CONFIDENCE IN HIS PERSONAL ABILITY, HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE AIRPLANE HE WAS FLYING, AND THE FACT THE PILOT DID NOT MAINTAIN A PROPER AIRSPEED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/1/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MASON
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48844
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 8
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 Unknown
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 518
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 1 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47882
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:11PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5301A
NTSB Number CHI92DEC02
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name RANS
Aircraft Model S-9
Aircraft Series Identifier S-9
Aircraft Serial Number 587004
Certified Max Gross Weight 670
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 1900 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ZARICHNY, GEORGE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11467 CLAIRMONT
Aircraft Owner City FENTON
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48430
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DWAIN R. CHATTERTON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3640 JEWEL
Operator City HOWELL
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 48844
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 --