North Side Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

North Muskegon, Michigan 49445
Tuesady, December 11, 1990 16:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE LIGHT SINGLE-ENGINED AIRPLANE WAS FLYING A DOWNWIND LEG IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. A WITNESS HEARD THE ENGINE STOP, LOOKED UP AND SAW THE AIRPLANE 200 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE WITNESS WATCHED THE AIRPLANE UNTIL IT WENT BEHIND THE TOPS OF THE TREES. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS THE WITNESS HEARD A LOUD THUMP. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD STRUCK THE GROUND IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN A SHORT FINAL APPROACH LEG. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED AN EMPTY MAIN FUEL TANK WITH ITS SELECTOR VALVE IN THE 'ON' POSITION; AND A FULL AUXILIARY FUEL TANK WITH ITS SELECTOR VALVE IN THE 'OFF' POSITION. FUEL HAD NOT LEAKED FROM THE MAIN TANK. A SMALL LEAK WAS OBSERVED AROUND THE AUXILIARY TANK.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S NOT MAINTAINING SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED AND ENTERING INTO AN INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE FUEL STARVATION AND THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S NOT SELECTING A PROPER FUEL TANK SELECTOR POSITION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/11/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City NORTH MUSKEGON
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49445
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NORTH SIDE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 31C
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 650
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID MKG
Elevation of weather observation facility 628
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2091
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 11 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1720
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43537
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N44350
NTSB Number CHI91DEM02
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 TAYLORCRAFT
Aircraft Model BC12-D1
Aircraft Series Identifier BC12-D1
Aircraft Serial Number 10150
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
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 LARRY G. GLASER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5706 BRICKYARD RD.
Operator City TWIN LAKE
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 49457
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Approach
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 3
Runway Length 2752
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --