Wm 'tiny' Zehnder Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Frankenmuth, Michigan 48734
Thursday, December 12, 2002 15:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane impacted terrain about 2 minutes after takeoff from an airport located about 0.9 miles north of the accident site. Witnesses reported that the airplane entered a left bank turn at an altitude of about 200 feet above ground level before impacting terrain consistent with a low-speed nose-down impact. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies. The pilot's toxicology report, reported the presence of 0.058 (ug/ml, ug/g) diphenhydramine detected in blood and diphenhydramine present in urine. Diphenhydramine is an over-the-counter antihistamine with sedative affects, most commonly used to treat allergy symptoms, but also indicated for severe nausea and itching.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/12/2002
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Frankenmuth
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48734
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 431813N
Event Location Longitude 0834202W
Event Location Airport WM 'TINY' ZEHNDER FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 66G
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.9
Degrees magnetic from airport 147
Airport Elevation 645
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 312
Weather Observation Facility ID MBS
Elevation of weather observation facility 670
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 21
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.09
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
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) 15073
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Dec 12 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1645
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 30 2004 8:14AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Grand Rapids FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8469K
NTSB Number CHI03LA037
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Stinson
Aircraft Model 108-1
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 108-1469
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 12 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2149.6
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Sale Reported
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9835 Lewis Road
Aircraft Owner City Millington
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48746
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Roy Dimond
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 8212 Lewis Rd
Operator City Birch Run
Operator State MI
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 48415
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 66G
Departure City FRANKENMUTH
Departure State MI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1528
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 Unknown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Feb 6 2004 11:01AM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 2506
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --