Private Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St. Charles, Michigan 48655
Thursday, August 4, 1988 14:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT FAILED TO ATTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO CLEAR OBSTACLES DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB-OUT AND THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES LOCATED OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE PRIVATE GRASS STRIP. THE AIRCRAFT FELL TO THE GROUND, WHERE IT CAUGHT FIRE AND WAS DESTROYED. THE TEMPERATURE REPORTED BY THE OBSERVATION FACILITY AT SAGINAW, MICHIGAN (APPROXIMATELY 15 NM NORTHEAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE) AT ABOUT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 96 DEGREES. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT MAY HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY WAITING UNTIL IT COOLED DOWN BEFORE DEPARTING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/4/1988
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ST. CHARLES
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48655
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 PRIVATE AIRSTRIP
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 600
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1452 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 15
Weather Observation Facility ID MBS
Elevation of weather observation facility 668
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 36
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 950
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1513
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 4 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1825
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37638
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 N97797
NTSB Number CHI88LA191
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 STINSON
Aircraft Model 108-1
Aircraft Series Identifier 108-1
Aircraft Serial Number 108-797
Certified Max Gross Weight 2230
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WEND, EUGENE T
Aircraft Owner Street Address 634 W BELLE AVE
Aircraft Owner City ST CHARLES
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48655
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WEND, EUGENE T.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 634W BELLE AVENUE
Operator City ST. CHARLES
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 48655
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 1430
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 Descent
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 2650
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --