Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Great Lakes Adventist Academy Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Cedar Lake, Michigan 48812
Saturday, October 11, 2008 13:32 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The student pilot reported that the southeasterly grass runway (2,331 feet by 100 feet) was "very bumpy" and that it took more than half of the available runway length to achieve liftoff. After liftoff, the airplane did not clear the 60/70-foot-high tree line located at the departure end of the runway, and impacted several trees before descending nose first into a residential backyard. A review of downloaded GPS data showed the airplane began its takeoff roll from the approach end of the runway. Approximately 34 seconds into the takeoff, the airplane had traveled about 1,788 feet laterally, over 3/4 of the runway length, and had climbed 5 feet above the airport elevation. The plotted data showed that the airplane completed a 10-degree right turn immediately after liftoff and continued to climb as it approached the tree line. Between the last two data points, the airplane’s average ground speed was approximately 53 knots. The last data point was approximately 68 feet above the airport elevation and 223 feet laterally from the accident site. The aircraft’s weight before the accident flight was at or near the certified maximum takeoff weight. Based on the available airport and weather information, the airplane’s pilot operating handbook indicated that the takeoff ground roll, on a level grass runway without a headwind, was about 885 feet, and the required distance to clear a 50-foot obstacle was about 1,663 feet. A review of the maintenance records found no history of unresolved airworthiness issues, and examination of the recovered wreckage revealed no evidence of a pre-impact mechanical malfunction. The accident engine demonstrated the ability to produce rated horsepower during a post-accident test run. The student pilot had accumulated 25.3 hours total flight time, of which 13.9 hours were documented as pilot-in-command.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The student pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance after takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's overall lack of flight experience.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/11/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1332 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Cedar Lake |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 48812 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 432356N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0845750W |
| Event Location Airport | Great Lakes Adventist Academy |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | PVT |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 896 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1336 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 116 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KAMN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 754 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 13 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| 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) | 22 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 160 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.34 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KAMN 111736Z AUTO 16004KT 10SM CLR 22/08 A3034 RMK |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 27342 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 19 2010 9:42AM |
| User who most recently changed record | broda |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3623J |
| NTSB Number | CEN09FA015 |
| 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 | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | 150G |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 15064923 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1600 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 8 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 2 |
| Airframe Hours | 4370 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Joseph Edward Hoffman |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Beaverton |
| Aircraft Owner State | MI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 48612-8847 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Joseph Edward Hoffman |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Beaverton |
| Operator State | MI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 48612-8847 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | PVT |
| Departure City | Cedar Lake |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1332 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 48D |
| Destination City | Clare |
| Destination State | MI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 19 2010 5:47PM |
| User who most recently changed record | foxt |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 12 |
| Runway Length | 2331 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |