Linden Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Linden, Michigan 48506
Friday, March 20, 1987 13:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND WHEN HE DECIDED HE WAS TOO HIGH, AND ABORTED THE LANDING ATTEMPT. THE ENGINE FAILED TO DEVELOP POWER DESPITE THROTTLE AND MIXTURE ADJUSTMENTS, AND THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A CORNFIELD. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THERE WAS NO CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE ROCKER ARM AND THE INTAKE VALVE STEM ON CYLINDER #3, AND NONE BETWEEN THE ROCKER ARMS AND EXHAUST VALVE STEMS ON #5 AND #6 CYLINDERS. THE COMPRESSION CHECK SHOWED NO COMPRESSION ON #5 OR #6 AND VERY LITTLE COMPRESSION ON #3. ALL OF THE CYLINDERS HAD BEEN RECONDITIONED 22 HOURS EARLIER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/20/1987
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City LINDEN
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48506
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LINDEN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 9G2
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 120
Airport Elevation 920
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1326 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 135
Weather Observation Facility ID FNT
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
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) 14
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2614
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 20 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1350
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37732
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:56PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3630L
NTSB Number CHI87DEC02
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 172G
Aircraft Series Identifier 172G
Aircraft Serial Number 172-53799
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Jan 15 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 22
Airframe Hours 2312
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WALTER BARLOW
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6024 ALBION DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City FLINT
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48506
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 FNT
Departure City FLINT
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 9
Runway Length 2509
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --