Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Walker, Michigan 49504
Sunday, November 11, 1990 11:40 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PILOT DEPARTED ON LOCAL FLIGHT WITHOUT OBTAINING PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING. WHEN THE PILOT, WHO WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED, ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO HIS POINT OF DEPARTURE HE FLEW INTO A LINE OF SNOW SHOWERS WHICH HAD MOVED IN OFF OF LAKE MICHIGAN. PILOT CONTACTED ATC WHO PROVIDED RADAR SERVICE AND VECTORS TO VMC CONDITIONS FOR 30 MINUTES. PILOT COULD NOT HOLD HEADING LONG ENOUGH TO FLY OUT OF SNOW SHOWER. AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN DENSELY WOODED AREA. WITNESSES REPORT HEARING AIRCRAFT ENGINE RUNNING ERRATICALLY. INVESTIGATORS FOUND THE INDUCTION AIR FILTER FROZEN AND ICE COVERED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT ARE FAILURE TO OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING, BECOMING LOST/DISORIENTED, INDUCTION AIR FILTER ICING, EXCESSIVE WORKLOAD, AND LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN TYPE OF OPERATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/11/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1140
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City WALKER
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49504
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 11
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1140 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 100
Weather Observation Facility ID GRR
Elevation of weather observation facility 794
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 32
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
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) 2094
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 11 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1145
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43540
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:33PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9075X
NTSB Number CHI91FA026
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182D
Aircraft Series Identifier 182D
Aircraft Serial Number 18253475
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 Oct 31 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 9
Airframe Hours 873
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CHARLES Z. MAXFIELD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 15480 HARRY ST.
Operator City GRAND HAVEN
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 49417
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 3GM
Departure City GRAND HAVEN
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone EST
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 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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --