Oakland County Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pontiac, Michigan 48327
Thursday, March 9, 2000 19:53 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported there was no mention of icing during the weather briefing he received prior to the flight. He reported that during the approach, at an altitude of about 5,000 feet, the airplane 'rapidly' began to pick up ice. The pilot reported the ice buildup was sudden in onset and rapid, occurring over a few minutes. He reported that it became difficult to maintain airspeed and altitude, and he broke out of the clouds one to two miles from the airport at an altitude of 600 feet. The pilot reported that once he had '...the runway made' he lowered the landing gear at which time the airplane began 'to sink and lose altitude rapidly despite my use of full power and attempts to level off.' The airplane impacted the rough terrain approximately 1/4 mile short of the approach end of the runway. Inspection of the airplane revealed it was covered with about 2 inches of ice. A review of the Flight Service Station weather briefing that the pilot received revealed the briefer informed the pilot of a SIGMET for severe icing in Michigan with occasional severe rime mixed or clear icing in clouds and in precipitation below 8,000 feet. The briefer also informed the pilot of an AIRMET for the entire route of flight for occasional moderate rime or mixed icing in clouds and in precipitation below 10,000 feet.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's decision to fly into known adverse weather conditions which included icing and his inability to maintain aircraft control and a proper glidepath during the approach. Factors associated with the accident were the icing weather conditions and the rough terrain that the airplane encountered during the undershoot landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/9/2000
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1953
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City PONTIAC
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48327
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport OAKLAND COUNTY INT'L
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PTK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 980
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1953 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID PTK
Elevation of weather observation facility 980
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2.5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 581
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 9 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2208
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 Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N311JR
NTSB Number CHI00LA089
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model A36
Aircraft Series Identifier A36
Aircraft Serial Number E447
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 5 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 95
Airframe Hours 4000
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALEXANDER R. SPITZER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4375 BORLAND ST.
Aircraft Owner City W. BLOOMFIELD
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48323
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PWK
Departure City WHEELING
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PTK
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 27L
Runway Length 6200
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --