Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Detroit Lakes Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Detroit Lakes, Minnesota 56501
Thursday, July 29, 1999 14:20 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
A witness reported that the airplane lifted-off runway 13 (4,500 feet by 75 feet, dry/asphalt) approximately 600 feet from the end of the runway. The witness reported that that airplane climbed to an altitude of 150-200 feet above the ground before it began an increasing left banking turn. The witness stated that the airplane was climbing in a nose high pitch attitude and that the airplane's bank angle was approximately 50-60 degrees with the airplane's nose began to pitch down. The witness reported that the airplane's maximum nose-down pitch angle was 70-80 degrees at the time of the impact with terrain. No anomalies were found with the airframe structure or its systems that could be associated with a preexisting condition. No anomalies were found with the aircraft engine or its systems that could be associated with a preexisting condition. The active ingredient of marijuana (Tetrahydrocannabinol) and its metabolite substance (Tetrahydrocannabinol Carboxylic Acid) was found during a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Toxicology examination. The levels of Tetrahydrocannabinol and Tetrahydrocannabinol Carboxylic Acid found in the pilot's tissues and fluids would be consistent with the direct inhalation of marijuana less than one-hour before the time of the accident. According to the book entitled, 'Fit To Fly A Pilot's Guide to Health & Safety', author Richard O. Reingart MD, the active ingredient in marijuana is, '...THC (delta 9 tetra hydrocannibinal)....' The book continues, 'THC causes temporary euphoria and relaxation. However, more than alcohol, it distorts perception, weakens critical judgment, and interferes with the ability to concentrate. THC also increases heart rate and the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias. Short term memory is impaired, IQ is thought to be diminished, and there is a decrease in reaction time and tracking (similar to alcohol).'
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Aircraft control not obtained/maintained by the pilot. A factor to the accident was the pilot's impairment due to drugs.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/29/1999 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1420 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | DETROIT LAKES |
| Event State | MINNESOTA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 56501 |
| Event Date Year | 1999 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | DETROIT LAKES AIRPORT |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | DTL |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 119 |
| Airport Elevation | 1396 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1355 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 299 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DTL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1396 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| 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) | 31 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 160 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 3902 |
| 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) | 1853 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 29 1999 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2056 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 22 2001 4:04AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6996R |
| NTSB Number | CHI99FA264 |
| 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 | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | C23 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | C23 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | M-1744 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2450 |
| 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 | May 25 1999 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 0 |
| Airframe Hours | 3191 |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SID HALL ENTERPRISES, INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. BOX 3008 |
| Aircraft Owner City | ALBANY |
| Aircraft Owner State | GA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 31706 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | |
| Operator City | |
| Operator State | |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | |
| 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) | Positioning |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | DTL |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1420 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | |
| Destination City | UNKNOWN |
| Destination State | |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 22 2001 4:04AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 13 |
| Runway Length | 4500 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |