Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Houghton Heights Lake State Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Houghton Lake, Michigan 48629
Sunday, July 22, 2001 10:44 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot said that during take off as the tail wheel was lifted off the runway, the airplane moved left abruptly. The pilot said he tried to turn right but instead hit a cone marking the left edge of the runway. The pilot said he pulled the power off but could not stop before hitting saplings. The pilot said the abrupt turn was likely caused by an unexpected crosswind gust or whirlwind that occurred at the same time the tail was lifted. An examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies. At 0955, the winds reported at Roscommon County Airport, 5 miles from the accident site on a 065 degree heading, were calm.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff run. A factor relating to this accident was the trees.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/22/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1044 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | HOUGHTON LAKE |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 48629 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | HOUGHTON HEIGHTS LAKE STATE |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 5Y2 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 340 |
| Airport Elevation | 1165 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 955 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 65 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | HTL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1150 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 5 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 5 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.92 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 2725 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 11729 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 22 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1115 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 3 2002 12:16PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N56646 |
| NTSB Number | CHI01LA224 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Maule |
| Aircraft Model | M-5-180C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 8084C |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2300 |
| 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 | Mar 27 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 50 |
| Airframe Hours | 1360 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | TIMOTHY A. SCHERER |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 9865 MANDON STREET |
| Aircraft Owner City | WHITE LAKE |
| Aircraft Owner State | MI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 48386 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | 5Y2 |
| Departure City | HOUGHTON LAKE |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1044 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | Y91 |
| Destination City | LAKE CITY |
| Destination State | MI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - roll/run |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 2 2002 2:02PM |
| User who most recently changed record | SULP |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 34 |
| Runway Length | 2750 |
| Runway Width | 104 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |