Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Freemont, Michigan 49412
Friday, July 20, 2001 15:15 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot and an observer were performing fire patrol near Freemont, Michigan. They were proceeding east at approximately 2,500 feet mean sea level when the pilot noticed the manifold pressure had dropped to approximately 30 inches of Mercury (Hg). The pilot said he moved the throttle in and out several times but the power did not change. The pilot executed a 180-degree turn toward the Freemont Airport. On completion of the turn, the pilot noticed the manifold pressure had dropped to 15 inches Hg. The pilot looked for a place to land. He said there was nothing in front of them but trees. The pilot then noticed a farm field beneath and to the left of him. He said he decided to put the airplane down in the field. The pilot said he left the wheels and the flaps up because he was "low, slow, and short". He said the farm field was a short one. The pilot said he tried to flare. They hit the ground hard. The pilot said he did not recall the airplane going over its nose and coming to rest on its back. An examination of the airplane's engine revealed the throttle cable broken at the linkage to the throttle box lever arm. No other anomalies were found with the airplane.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The broken throttle cable during cruise flight and the pilot's inadequate flare during the forced landing attempt. Factors relating to this accident were the low airspeed during the forced landing attempt and the short, corn stubble field.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/20/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1515 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | FREEMONT |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 49412 |
| 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 | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1515 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 225 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MKG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 625 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 21 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 6 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 30 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 22 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 280 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.03 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 2415 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| 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) | 11730 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 20 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1625 |
| 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 | N756DM |
| NTSB Number | CHI01LA225 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | U206G |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | U206G04008 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3800 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 17 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 13 |
| Airframe Hours | 3116 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SCENIC SEAPLANES, INCORPORATED |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 5300 W. U. S. HIGHWAY 10 |
| Aircraft Owner City | LUDINGTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | MI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 49431 |
| 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 | LUDINGTON |
| Operator State | MI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 49431 |
| Operator Code | M59A |
| Owner has at least one certificate | -- |
| 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 | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Passenger Only |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | CAD |
| Departure City | CADILLAC |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1400 |
| 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 | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| 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 | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |