Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Willow Run Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ypsilanti, Michigan 48198
Monday, December 22, 2003 18:06 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The helicopter was destroyed when it impacted light poles and the ground during landing. The pilot stated that he was on a southwest heading to the airport and was cleared to land at the U.S. Customs ramp. The pilot reported that approximately 40 knots airspeed and 70 feet above ground level (agl), "there was an abrupt boom and pitch of the aircraft followed by a right forward rapid decent with a very large horizontal one-to-one out of balance oscillation." The pilot stated that he, "attempted to apply all available collective pitch, which was followed by contact with the ground, followed by rolling and flipping of the aircraft." The pilot reported that after he and the passenger exited the helicopter through a window, they noticed inoperative light poles which stood 70 to 80 feet in height. The light pole that was struck was 45 feet tall and was located at the southwest cargo ramp area near the south end of taxiway D. The light pole is located 4,542 feet south-southwest of the U.S. Customs circle. The light pole is located to the south of runway 09R/27L. The U.S. Customs ramp is located on the west ramp between runways 09R/27L and 09L/27R.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot became disoriented and attempted to land the helicopter at the wrong ramp resulting in his failure to maintain obstacle clearance during the approach. The light poles were a factor to the accident.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/22/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1806 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Ypsilanti |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 48198 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 421416N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0833149W |
| Event Location Airport | WILLOW RUN |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | YIP |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 0 |
| Airport Elevation | 716 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1753 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KYIP |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 716 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 12000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 6 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 3 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 220 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.91 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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) | 17114 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 22 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2200 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 27 2005 3:52PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Detroit FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N598S |
| NTSB Number | CHI04LA047 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Sikorsky |
| Aircraft Model | S-58JT |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 58-1196 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 12500 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| 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 | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 8 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 34 |
| Airframe Hours | 8342 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | McMahon Helicopter Service Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 8351 Ronda Dr. |
| Aircraft Owner City | Canton |
| Aircraft Owner State | MI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 48187 |
| 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 | BUBA |
| 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 | International |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Cargo |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | YQG |
| Departure City | WINDSOR ONT |
| Departure State | -- |
| Departure Country | CA |
| Departure Time | 1745 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | KYIP |
| Destination City | Ypsilanti |
| Destination State | MI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | -- |
| User who most recently changed record | -- |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |