Ann Arbor Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108
Saturday, October 7, 1989 12:01 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ACFT WAS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN ON A TURN FROM DOWNWIND TO BASE, WHEN IT SUDDENLY DESCENDED INTO THE GROUND & CRASHED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT OR ENG WAS FOUND. AN EXAM OF THE STALL WARNING LIGHT BULB REVEALED THE FILAMENT HAD STRETCHED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE AIRCRAFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/7/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1201
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ANN ARBOR
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48108
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ANN ARBOR
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ARB
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 839
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1204 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ARB
Elevation of weather observation facility 839
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2187
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 7 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41864
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:07PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9704J
NTSB Number CHI90FA003
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-3894
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID B. ESTEP
Aircraft Owner Street Address 952 E. 163RD PLACE
Aircraft Owner City SOUTH HOLLAND
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60473
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 3HA
Departure City CHICAGO
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code ARB
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 24
Runway Length 3500
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --