Michiana Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

South Bend, Indiana 46624
Monday, November 10, 1986 12:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING CRUISE AT 7000' MSL, THE PLT ASSUMED THAT HE WAS HAVING AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE BECAUSE HE HAD NOT HEARD ANY ARTCC TRANSMISSIONS, FUEL GAUGES WERE INDICATING LOW FUEL, AMMETER READING WAS ZERO, AND LANDING GEAR WOULD NOT CYCLE. HE SHUT OFF ALL ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT EXCEPT COMM AND PROCEEDED TO SOUTH BEND AIRPORT. WHILE PREPARING TO LAND HE CHECKED THE POSITION OF THE OVERRIDE LEVER FOR THE AUTOMATIC EXTENSION OF THE LANDING GEAR, BUT DID NOT TRY TO RAISE AND THEN LOWER THE LEVER AS SUGGESTED UNDER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES IN THE ACFT MANUAL. PLT ALSO STATED HE DID NOT TRY TO YAW THE ACFT WHICH IS ALSO RECOMMENDED IN ACFT MANUAL FOR EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION. ALTHOUGH THE PLT DID TRY TO VERIFY ELECTRICAL FAILURE BY TURNING ON THE PITOT HEAT, HE DID NOT FOLLOW THE PROCEDURE TO SWITCH OFF THE ALTERNATOR FOR ONE SECOND AND THEN BACK ON TO SEE IF THE AMMETER CONTINUED TO INDICATE NO OUTPUT. ACFT LANDED GEAR UP RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO ACFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/10/1986
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1215
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City SOUTH BEND
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46624
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MICHIANA REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SBN
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 790
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1235 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SBN
Elevation of weather observation facility 790
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1966
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 10 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32444
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N578PA
NTSB Number CHI87LA022
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28R-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-200
Aircraft Serial Number 28R7535241
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 5 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2542
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ARROW FLIGHT CLUB, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 975 SANTA BARBARA, S.E.
Aircraft Owner City GRAND RAPIDS
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49506
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ARROW FLIGHT CLUB, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 975 SANTA BARBARA, S.E.
Operator City GRAND RAPIDS
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 49506
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 AUM
Departure City AUSTIN
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 815
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GRR
Destination City GRAND RAPIDS
Destination State MI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 9
Runway Length 7099
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --