Willow Run Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197
Sunday, October 16, 1988 20:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ENROUTE TO LANSING, MICHIGAN (LAN) THE PILOT OF THIS AMATEUR BUILT BARRACUDA WAS FORCED TO DEVIATE TO YPSILANTI'S WILLOW RUN AIRPORT (YIP), DUE TO THUNDERSTORMS ON THE FLIGHT PATH. ON LANDING, HE EXPERIENCED A HARD TOUCHDOWN AND THE ACFT BEGAN TO PORPOISE. WHILE ATTEMPTING A GO-AROUND, THE ACFT HIT HARD AGAIN, DRIVING THE MAIN GEAR THROUGH THE WINGS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING LANDING AND INABILITY TO APPROPRIATELY CORRECT FOR THE PORPOISE ACTION OF THE AIRCRAFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/16/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2005
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City YPSILANTI
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48197
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WILLOW RUN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID YIP
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 716
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2005 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID YIP
Elevation of weather observation facility 716
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2510
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 16 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2025
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39793
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N48DS
NTSB Number CHI89DEC01
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name EXPERIMENTAL
Aircraft Model BARRACUDA
Aircraft Series Identifier BARRACUDA
Aircraft Serial Number 216
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 19 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 90
Airframe Hours 850
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHARLES R. STILES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5332 RIVER RIDGE
Aircraft Owner City LANSING
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48917
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 No
Departure Airport Code IND
Departure City INDIANAPOLIS
Departure State IN
Departure Country
Departure Time 615
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code YIP
Destination City YPSILANTI
Destination State MI
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 23
Runway Length 7526
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --