Gravel Lake Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lawton, Michigan 49065
Saturday, July 15, 1989 18:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE PILOT EXECUTED A WATER TAKEOFF AT MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT. AFTER LIFTOFF, HE ASSESSED HIS CLIMB AS INADEQUATE TO CLEAR OBSTACLES ON THE LAKESHORE AND PUT DOWN. HE STATED THE LANDING WAS HARD ENOUGH TO DO DAMAGE. AFTER LANDING, HE ATTEMPTED A RIGHT TURN TO AVOID THE SHORELINE, THE RIGHT FLOAT SEPARATED AND THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE SURFACE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DELAY IN ABORTING TAKEOFF AND HIS EXCESSIVE RATE OF DESCENT AT TOUCHDOWN. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/15/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1800
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LAWTON
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49065
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GRAVEL LAKE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2250
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 15 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42010
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7404M
NTSB Number CHI89DEM04
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 175
Aircraft Series Identifier 175
Aircraft Serial Number 55704
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 DAVID J. BARBER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 46124 24TH AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City BLOOMINGDALE
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49026
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City GRAVEL LAKE
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --