Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Frankfort, Michigan 49635
Sunday, August 8, 2004 13:55 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane used for glider aero-tow was destroyed by post-impact fire after it impacted the terrain during takeoff climb. The tow pilot reported that he was departing the grass airstrip with a glider in tow. The glider was positioned to the right of the tow plane. During the takeoff ground run, the glider aborted the takeoff by releasing the tow line. The tow pilot reported that the tow plane "suddenly yawed 45 degrees" to the left and veered off the left side of the grass airstrip and "crossed a marsh/wetland area" southwest of the runway. He reported the airplane was still at full power and was at minimum controllable airspeed. The pilot reported that he continued the takeoff and attempted to climb over a tree line, but the airplane had "insufficient airspeed and stalled." The airplane impacted the terrain and caught fire. The tow airplane utilized had a five point pilot restraint harness and the pilot received minor injuries. He exited the airplane before the airplane was consumed by fire. The glider pilot reported he aborted the takeoff when he saw the tow plane veering toward the left side of the runway. The glider rolled out on the airstrip without damage. An inspection of the accident site revealed that the tow plane was about 30 feet from the left side of the runway when the glider aborted its takeoff. Then the tow plane traveled about 150-175 feet through the tall grass before it lifted off and attempted flight. The tree line was located approximately 250 feet from the point of lift off. At 1415, the observed wind, approximately 28 nautical miles south of the accident site, were 250 degrees at 6 knots. The runway in use was runway 33. The glider pilot reported the wind from the south produced a 5 knot tailwind.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The tow pilot failed to maintain directional control during takeoff roll and failed to abort the takeoff. Additionally, the tow pilot failed to attain adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall. The tailwind and the tall grass were contributing factors.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/8/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1355 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Frankfort |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 49635 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 443730N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0861203W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | -- |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MBL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Dawn |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| 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) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 250 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.06 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 16479 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 8 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1410 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 28 2004 10:11AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | FAA Grand Rapids, MI FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N54517 |
| NTSB Number | CHI04CA218 |
| 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 | -- |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 305A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | JU-4 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2100 |
| 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 | Jun 4 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 25 |
| Airframe Hours | 1870 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Northwest Soaring Club |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | -- |
| Aircraft Owner State | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Country | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | -- |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Northwest Soaring Club |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | P.O. Box 88 |
| Operator City | Frankfort |
| Operator State | MI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 49635 |
| 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) | Other Work Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | -- |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | FKS |
| Departure City | Frankfort |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| 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 | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 9 2004 4:52PM |
| User who most recently changed record | DINC |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |