Andrews University Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Berrien Springs, Michigan 49103
Wednesday, June 6, 1984 18:14 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT CRASHED SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF NEAR THE END OF THE RWY. THE SEQUENCE BEGAN WHEN THE PLT NOTICIED THAT ACFT ACCELERATION WAS 'A BIT SLOW' ON THE RWY. THEN A NOTICABLE DROP IN RPM ON THE RIGHT ENGINE OCCURRED AT ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN THE 3100 FT RWY. THE PLT DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE TAKEOFF ATTEMPT RATHER THEN ABORT. AFTER THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE A TURN TO THE RIGHT BEGAN IN SPITE OF THE PLTS ATTEMPTS TO FLY STRAIGHT AHEAD. THE ACFT DID NOT ATTAIN VMCA (80 KTS), IMPACTED THE GROUND AT A SHALLOW ANGLE AND SLID 400 FT TO A STOP. THE STALL WARNING HORN WAS ON FOR THE LAST 900 FT OF THE FLT. NO REASON FOR THE LOSS OF RPM WAS FOUND EXCEPT POSSIBLY THE SPARK PLUGS WHICH SHOWED SIGNS OF SOOTING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/6/1984
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1814
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BERRIEN SPRINGS
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49103
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ANDREWS UNIVERSITY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID C20
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 665
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1840
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 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 7
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1701
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 25520
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 N8205Y
NTSB Number CHI84LA219
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-30
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-30
Aircraft Serial Number 30-1330
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 15 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 112
Airframe Hours 3590
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BERRIEN CV SURGERY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 777 RIVERVIEW DR.
Aircraft Owner City BENTON HARBOR
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49022
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name THORVALD W. CHRISTIANSEN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4566 HEDGEWOOD
Operator City STEVENSVILLE
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 49127
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 120
Departure City BERRIEN SPRINGS
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1815
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BTR
Destination City BATON ROUGE
Destination State LA
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 31
Runway Length 3100
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --