Glover Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fowlerville, Michigan 48836
Thursday, June 8, 1989 19:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT COMPLETED TAXI TESTS ON THE AIRCRAFT AND ACCELERATED FOR TAKEOFF ON THE FIRST FLIGHT FOLLOWING CERTIFICATION OF THE HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE. DURING INITIAL CLIMBOUT FROM THE PRIVATE SOD STRIP, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A TREE AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY AND FELL 50 FEET TO GROUND. THE PILOT STATES HE NOTED FORWARD AND SIDE VISIBILITY FROM THE COCKPIT WAS LIMITED AND THAT HE BECAME PREOCCUPIED WITH INSTRUMENTS AFTER LIFTOFF. HE NOTICED TREE BRANCHES AHEAD AS THE COLLISION OCCURRED. THE PILOT WAS THE OWNER OF THE AIRSTRIP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DISCONTINUING VISUAL LOOKOUT TO SCAN GAGES BEFORE CLEARING A KNOWN OBSTACLE ON THE DEPARTURE PATH FROM THE RUNWAY. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT IS THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS MODEL AIRPLANE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/8/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1910
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FOWLERVILLE
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48836
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GLOVER FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 925
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2155
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 8 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41833
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N288LJ
NTSB Number CHI89DEC05
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name JOB
Aircraft Model SONERAI II
Aircraft Series Identifier SONERAI II
Aircraft Serial Number 002
Certified Max Gross Weight 1150
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jun 8 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LARRY L. JOB
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8365 HILLPOINT DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City BRIGHTON
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48116
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RONALD C. COOPER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4825 HOGBACK ROAD
Operator City FOWLERVILLE
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 48836
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City FOWLERVILLE
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1910
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
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 36
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --