Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rose Township, Michigan 48442
Monday, August 19, 1985 17:55 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, SEVERAL WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT FLYING AT A VERY LOW ALT IN THE VICINITY OF THE CRASH SITE. THE CRASH SITE WAS LOCATED ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THE HOME OF THE PLT'S BROTHER. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ACFTS ENG WAS OPERATING NORMALLY PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE ACFT'S HORIZONTAL STABILIZER STRUCK THE TOP BRANCHES OF A TREE (APRX 60 FT TALL), THEN THE PLANE DID A WING-OVER & CRASHED IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. TOXICOLOGY TESTS OF THE PLT'S BLOOD & URINE SHOWED ALCOHOL LEVELS OF 0.068% & 0.062%, RESPECTIVELY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/19/1985
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1755
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ROSE TOWNSHIP
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48442
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 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 1753 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 140
Weather Observation Facility ID PTK
Elevation of weather observation facility 980
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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) 2906
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 19 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31399
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5146A
NTSB Number CHI85FA356
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 28146
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 Jun 17 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 28
Airframe Hours 2489
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name W. F. FARREN G. G. VALLIANCOUR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 12345 GERMAN RD.
Aircraft Owner City FENTON
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 47430
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 PTK
Departure City PONTIAC
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1733
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --