Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Roscommon, Michigan 48653
Saturday, July 8, 1989 19:06 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING AN OUT OF CONTROL DESCENT. WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT DESCRIBED THE AIRPLANE AS SUDDENLY CLIMBING BEFORE DROPPING ONE WING AND SPINNING INTO THE GROUND. ONE PILOT RATED WITNESS WHO WAS IN ANOTHER AIRPLANE DESCRIBED A MULTIPLE TURN SPIN PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE PILOT HAD BEEN TREATED AND RELEASED FOR A THERMAL INJURY (SUNBURN) AT A HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM SIX DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT HAD JUST SPENT ANOTHER FULL DAY EXPOSED TO THE SUN CANOEING WITH FRIENDS. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO MECHANICAL DEFECTS WITH EITHER THE AIRFRAME OR POWERPLANT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT WHILE MANEUVERING AND THE FAILURE TO PERFORM REMEDIAL ACTION BY THE PIC.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/8/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1906
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ROSCOMMON
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48653
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
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1850 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID HTL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1165
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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) 2181
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 8 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2050
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41858
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 N2336J
NTSB Number CHI89FA129
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 Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-18
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18
Aircraft Serial Number 18-7909108
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
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 HOFFMAN FLYING SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 3244
Aircraft Owner City SAGINAW
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48605
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 55D
Departure City GRAYLING AAF
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1850
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 80D
Destination City CLARE COUNTY
Destination State MI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --