Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gaylord, Michigan 49735
Sunday, June 9, 1985 11:16 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT ATTEMPT TO TAKE THE FLOAT PLANE ACROSS A LAKE IN WIND THAT WAS FROM 270 DEG AT 20 GUSTING 40 KTS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CAPSIZED & WAS DAMAGED. IN A REVISED STATEMENT, THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE WAS 'SAILING' (LETTING THE WIND BLOW THE ACFT) ACROSS THE LAKE FOR MOORING WITHOUT THE ENG RUNNING; BUT WHEN WINDS THREATENED TO CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL, HE STARTED THE ENG BY PROPPING IT. HE SAID THAT AS HE SHIFTED HIS POSITION FROM THE FLOAT BACK TO THE COCKPIT, THE WIND CAUGHT A WING & TURNED THE ACFT OVER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/9/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1116
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City GAYLORD
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49735
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 6
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 1138 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID GLR
Elevation of weather observation facility 1328
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 40
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 508
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 9 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27793
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6544H
NTSB Number CHI85LA232
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model J-3
Aircraft Series Identifier J-3
Aircraft Serial Number 19736
Certified Max Gross Weight 1220
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 15 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3000
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM C. GNEGY JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4095 CROOKS RD.
Aircraft Owner City TROY
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48098
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
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1116
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --