Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Frankfort Dow Memorial Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Frankfort, Michigan 49635
Friday, July 31, 2009 14:26 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane was observed taxiing from the ramp to the runway with its rear engine not running and the rear propeller appearing to be feathered. The witness who observed this also saw the airplane begin its takeoff run on the runway, where it lifted off, appeared to stay low in ground effect, and then started a shallow climb. The airplane appeared very low over the trees at the end of the runway, and then appeared to stall and hit the trees. Earlier, another witness, who was preparing to depart himself, said he saw the pilot working on the airplane's rear engine. The witness stated that the pilot told him that an oil leak was coming from the flange where the oil filter attached and that it was a significant leak. The witness asked the pilot if he needed a local mechanic and the pilot explained he wanted to do the work himself. The pilot said he planned to get enough oil pressure in the rear engine to feather the propeller. The pilot stated that he planned to depart with only the front engine. An examination of the airplane wreckage and the engines revealed no evidence of any pre-impact anomalies, other than what was noted with the rear engine. A placard in the airplane stated, “Do not initiate single engine takeoff.”
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot intentionally attempting to take off with an inoperative engine, which lead to the airplane's inability to maintain airspeed in the initial climb, resulting in a stall and impact with trees.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/31/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1426 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Frankfort |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 49635 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 443731N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0861203W |
| Event Location Airport | Frankfort Dow Memorial Field |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | FKS |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 633 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1437 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 150 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FKS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 633 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| 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) | 20 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 250 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.94 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KFKS 311837Z AUTO 25007KT 10SM CLR 20/13 A2994 |
| 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) | 26795 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-Grand Rapids FSDO |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 13 2010 12:27PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N337BA |
| NTSB Number | CEN09LA502 |
| 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 | 337F |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 33701434 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4630 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | C91 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SYNERGISTICS |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2496 COLONY WAY |
| Aircraft Owner City | YPSILANTI |
| Aircraft Owner State | MI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 48197 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Stephen W. Toby Jr |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | YPSILANTI |
| Operator State | MI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 48197 |
| 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 | FKS |
| Departure City | Frankfort |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1426 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 2P2 |
| Destination City | Washington Isld |
| Destination State | WI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 17 2010 7:28PM |
| User who most recently changed record | male |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 33 |
| Runway Length | 4050 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |