Daltons Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Flushing, Michigan 48433
Wednesday, August 3, 1988 10:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, AS THE AIRPLANE WAS CLIMBING THRU ABOUT 100 TO 200 FT ABOVE THE GROUND, IT WAS OBSERVED TO PITCH UP, THEN BANK RIGHT & NOSED DOWN IN WHAT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE A 3/4 TURN SPIN BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND. NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE OR ENGINE WAS FOUND. A PATHOLOGICAL EXAM OF THE PILOT REVEALED EXTENSIVE CHEST INJURIES AND AN ACUTE OCCLUSION OF THE LEFT ANTERIOR DESCENDING CORONARY ARTERY. THE CORONER BELIEVED THE PILOT SUFFERED A CORONARY SEIZURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT'S PHYSICAL INCAPACITATION DUE TO A CORONARY SEIZURE, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL, AND A STALL/SPIN INTO THE GROUND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/3/1988
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1015
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FLUSHING
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48433
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 DALTONS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3DA
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 735
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID FNT
Elevation of weather observation facility 782
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
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) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2253
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 3 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1045
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39999
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 N2956Z
NTSB Number CHI88FA188
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 BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 7ECA
Aircraft Series Identifier 7ECA
Aircraft Serial Number 1245-78
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 7 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 2780
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EDWIN P DALTON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3399 LUCE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City FLUSHING
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48433
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name E. DALTON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3399 LUCE RD
Operator City FLUSHING
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 48433
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 3DA
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1015
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 3DA
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 18
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --