Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

South Lyon, Michigan 48178
Friday, August 16, 1985 7:09 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT TOOK OFF AND CLIMBED TO 5000 FT UNEVENTFULLY. IT THEN DROPPED OFF RADAR AND SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A FLAT UPRIGHT ATTITUDE. A POST-CRASH FIRE CONSUMED THE MAJORITY OF THE AIRFRAME. ENG AND PROP TEARDOWNS INDICATED NO ABNORMALITIES AND PWR AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. A FIRE IN THE CARGO COMPARTMENT WAS RULED OUT BY ATF INVESTIGATORS. MAIN ELECTRICAL SWITCHES WERE FOUND OFF IN THE WRECKAGE. AN OXYGEN BOTTLE IN THE NOSE CAUGHT FIRE SEPARATLEY FROM THE REST OF THE ACFT BUT IT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED IF THE OXYGEN FIRE TOOK PLACE IN THE AIR OR AFTER IMPACT. THE DOOR WARNING, LEFT AND RIGHT ALT OUT, LEFT AND RIGHT HYD FLOW AND LEFT AND RIGHT LOW FUEL ANNUNCIATOR BULBS EXHIBITED STRETCHED FILAMENTS WHEN EXAMINED FOLLOWING THE CRASH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/16/1985
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 709
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SOUTH LYON
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48178
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 8
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 20
Degrees magnetic from airport 318
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 705 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 318
Weather Observation Facility ID DTW
Elevation of weather observation facility 920
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2267
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 16 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29665
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 N404EX
NTSB Number CHI85FA351
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 404
Aircraft Series Identifier 404
Aircraft Serial Number 404-0017
Certified Max Gross Weight 6300
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 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 7 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 17
Airframe Hours 5935
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address WILLOW RUNAIRPORT
Operator City YPSILANTI
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 48197
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DTW
Departure City DETROIT
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 653
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MBS
Destination City SAGINAW
Destination State MI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --