Lamont Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Deckerville, Michigan 48427
Friday, August 19, 1988 17:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS ATTEMPTING A POWER-OFF LANDING IN AN AIRCRAFT IN WHICH HE HAD VERY LITTLE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE. HE STATED THAT WHILE ON SHORT FINAL THE AIRCRAFT 'WAS SINKING FASTER THAN I REALIZED... .' THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND SHORT OF THE RUNWAY, AND THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED TO A STOP ON THE RUNWAY; A POST-IMPACT FIRE ENSUED, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT AND MISJUDGED PERCEPTIONS WHILE PRACTICING TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS IN AN UNFAMILIAR AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT EXECUTED A HARD LANDING, TOUCHING DOWN SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AND COLLAPSING THE LANDING GEAR. THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED TO A STOP ON THE RUNWAY, AND A POST-IMPACT FIRE ENSUED. THE PILOT'S LACK OF FLIGHT EXPERIENCE IN THE ACCIDENT MAKE AND MODEL AIRCRAFT WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/19/1988
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City DECKERVILLE
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48427
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LAMONT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 56G
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 745
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1746 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID MBS
Elevation of weather observation facility 668
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 63
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 775
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2468
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39629
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:02PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N33131
NTSB Number CHI88DEC06
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SACKETT
Aircraft Model J2
Aircraft Series Identifier J2
Aircraft Serial Number 200
Certified Max Gross Weight 1821
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Jul 28 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 146
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HARVEY W THOMPSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3455 QUINCE STREET
Aircraft Owner City DECKERVILLE
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48427
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1615
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Landing
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 9
Runway Length 5217
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --