Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ludington, Michigan 49431
Sunday, October 16, 1988 10:50 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE PILOT CONTACTED MINNEAPOLIS CENTER TO ACTIVATE AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN AND SUBSEQUENTLY REPORTED A COMPLETE GYRO FAILURE. THE PILOT WAS BEING GIVEN A NO-GYRO TURN TO THE NEAREST AVAILABLE AIRPORT WHEN THE AIRPLANE DISAPPEARED OFF RADAR. THE ACFT WAS RECOVERED IN A LAKE ALMOST DIRECTLY BENEATH THE LAST KNOWN RADAR LOCATION. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED A SHEARED VACUUM PUMP SHAFT.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
THE PILOT IN COMMAND FAILED TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE UTILIZING BASIC FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS WHILE EXPERIENCING A LOSS OF GYRO INSTRUMENTS.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/16/1988 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1050 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | LUDINGTON |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 49431 |
| 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 | |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | |
| 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 | 0 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Witness |
| Time of the weather observation | 0 |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 0 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 400 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 400 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| 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) | -- |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Heavy |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 2458 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 16 1988 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1155 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | 39619 |
| 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 | N58155 |
| NTSB Number | CHI89FA009 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | MOONEY |
| Aircraft Model | M20J |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | M20J |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 24-1581 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2740 |
| 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 | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | HARMON S. LOWRIE |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3863 S. MISSION HILLS RD. |
| Aircraft Owner City | NORTHBROOK |
| Aircraft Owner State | IL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | LDM |
| Departure City | LUDINGTON |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1044 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | PWK |
| Destination City | WHEELING |
| Destination State | IL |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Descent |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 2 2001 10:30AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 0 |
| Runway Length | 0 |
| Runway Width | 0 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |