Flying A Ranch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fruitport, Michigan 49415
Friday, September 6, 1985 18:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED DURING A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AFTER THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENG COWLING OPENED SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PLT REPORTED THE COWLING OPENED AT AN ALT OF APRX 50 FT AGL. A CLIMB TO 300 FT WAS MADE AND THE ACFT WAS TURNED ONTO DOWNWIND. THE PLT STATED IN AN INTERVIEW THAT BECAUSE OF TURBULENCE AND A FEAR THE COWLING WOULD SEPARATE FROM THE ACFT, HE PANICKED AND TRIED TO PUT THE ACFT DOWN IN AN OPEN FLD. THE ACFT CONTACTED THE TERRAIN IN A NOSE DOWN LEFT BANK ATTITUDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/6/1985
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1805
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FRUITPORT
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49415
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FLYING A RANCH
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 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 100
Airport Elevation 630
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2219
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 6 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1909
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29621
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 N4169U
NTSB Number CHI85FEM02
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 170A
Aircraft Series Identifier 170A
Aircraft Serial Number 18502
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
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 8 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 26
Airframe Hours 1785
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LARRY G GLASER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5706 BRICKYARD RD
Aircraft Owner City TWIN LAKES
Aircraft Owner State MI
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
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
Departure City FRUITPORT
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 3GM
Destination City GRAND HAVEN
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 27
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --