Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Houghton Lake, Michigan 48629
Saturday, May 8, 1993 22:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A NIGHT VFR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THE PILOT REPORTED HE EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE POWER LOSS. HE STATED HE LANDED AT A NEARBY AIRPORT AND SOUGHT A MECHANIC'S HELP. THE COST OF THE MECHANIC WAS PROHIBITIVE AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. HE STATED HE EXAMINED THE ENGINE VISUALLY AND FOUND NOTHING UNUSUAL. HE STATED HE RAN THE ENGINE FOR 20 MINUTES AT VARIOUS RPM SETTINGS. UPON COMPLETION OF THE RUNUP THE PILOT DEPARTED AND CONTINUED HIS CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. WHILE AT CRUISE THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. REMEDIAL ACTION BY THE PILOT DID NOT CORRECT THE POWER LOSS. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AND SWAMPY TERRAIN. THE ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION IDENTIFIED AN INTERMITTENTLY FIRING LEFT MAGNETO.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT OPERATING THE AIRPLANE WITH A KNOWN DEFICIENCY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/8/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2205
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City HOUGHTON LAKE
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48629
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 5
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2150 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 20
Weather Observation Facility ID HTL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1150
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 572
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 9 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 610
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50364
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:18PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7303M
NTSB Number CHI93LA166
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 175
Aircraft Series Identifier 175
Aircraft Serial Number 55603
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 986
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FREDERICK H. HERMAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6101 JONQUIL ST.
Aircraft Owner City WATERFORD
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48327
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FREDERICK H. HERMAN
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 6101 JONQUIL ST.
Operator City WATERFORD
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 48327
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 MBS
Departure City SAGINAW
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 2130
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 --