Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Charlevoix, Michigan 49720
Friday, April 20, 1990 14:48 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED CHARLEVOIX, MICHIGAN, WITH AN INTENDED DESTINATION OF BEAVER ISLAND, MICHIGAN. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS OVERDUE AT ITS INTENDED DESTINATION, THE COAST GUARD WAS NOTIFIED, AND AN AIR AND SURFACE SEARCH OF LAKE MICHIGAN WAS INITIATED ALONG THE INTENDED FLIGHT PATH. THE COAST GUARD LOCATED A DEBRIS FIELD CONTAINING AIRCRAFT PARTS, PERSONAL EFFECTS, AND A FEMALE BODY. THE BODY OF THE PILOT, AND THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS NOT RECOVERED. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME WERE MARGINAL VMC OVER THE MICHIGAN LAND MASS, AND IMC OVER THE LAKE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PROBABLE CAUSE OF THIS ACCIDENT IS UNDETERMINED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/20/1990
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1448
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CHARLEVOIX
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49720
Event Date Year 1990
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 Unknown
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 1450 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 80
Weather Observation Facility ID PLN
Elevation of weather observation facility 720
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 978
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 21 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42149
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:53PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8333Y
NTSB Number CHI90FAMS2
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-30B
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-30B
Aircraft Serial Number 30-1478
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 4
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PAUL P EDDY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9333 SPRING ARBOR DR.
Aircraft Owner City SPRING ARBOR
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49283
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PAUL P. EDDY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 9333 SPRING ARBOR DR.
Operator City SPRING ARBOR
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 49283
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 CVX
Departure City CHARLEVOIX
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1445
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 6Y8
Destination City ST. JAMES
Destination State MI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Unknown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --