Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Near Muskegon, Michigan 49441
Saturday, April 15, 2000 14:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The accident airplane was the third airplane in a flight of four which were departing Muskegon on a Special VFR clearance to the south. The accident airplane departed and the non-instrument rated pilot became disoriented over Lake Michigan. The pilot was issued a heading by ATC to return to the airport. The pilot stated he was trying to keep the airplane level and was looking for VFR conditions when the airplane 'belly flopped' into the lake. The pilot and passenger exited the airplane and hung onto a floating tire until they were rescued by the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard reported that due to the visibility of 1/4 mile with fog, they had to turn off the boat engine and listen for cries of help from the airplane occupants in order to find them. Both occupants of the airplane suffered minor injuries and hypothermia as a result of being in the 39 degree water for approximately 12 minutes prior to being rescued. Weather at Muskegon Airport at the time of the accident was 700 broken, 2 1/2 miles visibility with mist. The airplane sank in 60 foot deep water and was recovered after the accident. Inspection of the wreckage failed to reveal any mechanical failure/malfunction.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot failed to maintain altitude after inadvertently flying to instrument meteorological conditions. Factors associated with the accident were the low ceilings and visibility, the pilot became disoriented after inadvertently flying into IMC, and the pilot was not instrument rated.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/15/2000 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1430 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | NEAR MUSKEGON |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 49441 |
| Event Date Year | 2000 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1455 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MKG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 628 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1200 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 700 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | 11 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 270 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| 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 | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 2 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 445 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 15 2000 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1500 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 25 2001 4:45AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N560SP |
| NTSB Number | CHI00LA113 |
| 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 | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 172S |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 172S |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 172S8411 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2550 |
| 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 | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 15 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | NEW LENOX HOWELL AIRPORT LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 12637 LARAWAY ROAD |
| Aircraft Owner City | NEW LENOX |
| Aircraft Owner State | IL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 60451 |
| 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 | MKG |
| Departure City | MUSKEGON |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1419 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 1C2 |
| Destination City | NEW LENOX |
| Destination State | IL |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 25 2001 4:09AM |
| 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 | -- |