Micigan City Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Michigan City, Indiana 46360
Saturday, September 30, 2000 9:38 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said he was flying over Lake Michigan, when the airplane's engine began to lose power. He proceeded direct to the Michigan City Municipal Airport, Michigan City, Indiana. While en route, he turned on the carburetor heat, but it had "minimal effect, if any," on the engine's performance. Approximately 1/4 mile from the end of the runway the pilot realized he was not going to make it. He located a baseball park and executed a forced landing to it. The pilot tried to stop the airplane before reaching a marsh at the field's edge. The airplane's nose gear broke at the edge of a marsh and the airplane turned over. The pilot noted that when the engine first began running rough, the airplane's fuel tanks were 1/4 full. An examination of the airplane's engine showed water in the gascolator bowl.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

fuel contamination (water) and the pilot exceeding his landing field distance. Factors relating to this accident were the pilot inadequate preflight planning/preparation, his having to select an unsuitable landing area, the short landing area, and the marsh.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/30/2000
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 938
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MICHIGAN CITY
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46360
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport MICIGAN CITY MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MGC
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 200
Airport Elevation 655
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 954 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 95
Weather Observation Facility ID SBN
Elevation of weather observation facility 778
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
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) 62
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 50
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 939
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10786
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Sep 30 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Oct 23 2001 10:32AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N50318
NTSB Number CHI00LA311
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 150H
Aircraft Series Identifier 150H
Aircraft Serial Number 15069224
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 27 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 6177
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name J L G AIR, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2002 S. 150 W.
Aircraft Owner City LA PORTE
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46350
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code MGC
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 815
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 4 2001 4:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 2
Runway Length 4100
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --