Dupont - Lapeer Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lapeer, Michigan 48446
Saturday, June 19, 2004 12:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane impacted wires and trees during final approach. The pilot reported that the airplane had a "strong desire to turn left" during the accident flight. The pilot stated he "lost control short of landing." Flight control continuity could not be established due to the extent of damage incurred during the impact. The forward portion of the fuselage, including the canard, elevators and flight control mixing-unit, was extensively damaged. The source of the flight control malfunction could not be determined.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's loss of control due to an undetermined flight control system malfunction. Contributing factors to the accident were the wires and trees.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/19/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Lapeer
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48446
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 430359N
Event Location Longitude 0831620W
Event Location Airport DuPont - Lapeer Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID D95
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation 844
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1153 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID FNT
Elevation of weather observation facility 782
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dawn
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.21
Density Altitude (feet) 891
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16028
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jun 19 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1333
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 1 2004 7:08AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Federal Aviation Administration - Detroit FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5439N
NTSB Number CHI04CA159
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 Bracken
Aircraft Model CB540
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 981101-39
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 16 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 460
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Charles Oakley Bracken
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1762 Iroquois Street
Aircraft Owner City Detroit
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48214
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DET
Departure City Detroit
Departure State MI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code D95
Destination City Lapeer
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 Jul 13 2004 2:49PM
User who most recently changed record DINC
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 3605
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --