Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
North Cedar Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Cedar Springs, Michigan 49319
Thursday, May 15, 2003 12:08 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane impacted a truck while on final approach. The pilot reported that he had communicated several times with airport representatives concerning the condition of the turf runway. The pilot was told that the west half of the east/west runway, approximately 1,350 feet, was in a serviceable condition. The remaining east half of the runway was not serviceable due to wet/soft runway conditions. The pilot stated he was attempting a short field landing when the airplane impacted the 11-foot high semi-trailer, which was traveling northbound on a county road that runs adjacent to the airport property. The aircraft subsequently impacted the runway surface approximately 21 feet past the runway threshold, or about 50 feet from the eastern edge of the county road.
The runway threshold was approximately 29 feet from the eastern edge of the north/south two-lane road. The road edge was approximately 4 feet above the threshold elevation. An airplane flying a 3-degree glideslope would contact the road prior to reaching the runway threshold. A 28-degree glideslope is necessary to clear an 11-foot obstacle positioned at the eastern edge of the road. The runway arrangement, without a displaced threshold, does not allow for vehicular traffic on the adjacent two-lane county road or for the elevation difference between the runway threshold and the road. As a private use airport, MI73 is not required to comply with FAA or state regulations concerning airport obstacle clearance standards.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate glidepath and his failure to maintain obstacle clearance. A factor to the accident was the semi-trailer.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/15/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1208 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Cedar Springs |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 49319 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 431530N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0853245W |
| Event Location Airport | North Cedar Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MI73 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 893 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1156 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 177 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GRR |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 794 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 23 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 5500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 6 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 11 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 10 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 50 |
| 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) | 29.96 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 464 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15834 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 15 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1604 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 29 2004 7:30AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Federal Aviation Administration, Grand Rapids FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1528Q |
| NTSB Number | CHI03LA126 |
| 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 | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 150L |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 15072828 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1600 |
| 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 | Jan 12 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 2 |
| Airframe Hours | 4655 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Karol Degraw |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 5820 Squires Road |
| Aircraft Owner City | Jackson |
| Aircraft Owner State | MI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 49201 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 8D4 |
| Departure City | Sparta |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1200 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | MI73 |
| Destination City | Cedar Springs |
| Destination State | MI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach - VFR pattern - final approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 26 2004 8:01AM |
| User who most recently changed record | SULP |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 07 |
| Runway Length | 2700 |
| Runway Width | 60 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |