Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Tulip City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Holland, Michigan 49422
Thursday, October 6, 2011 18:40 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was landing the airplane when it contacted a 14-foot 8-inch tall approach light stanchion that was located about 460 feet from the approach end of the runway. The airplane crashed and came to rest inverted. Witnesses reported that the airplane appeared to be operating normally as the pilot performed touch-and-go landings before the accident. Another witness reported the airplane was low as it approached the runway on the final approach. The pilot had about 2 hours of flight time in the newly built tandem wing airplane. A postaccident examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The examination found the throttle in the retarded position and noted that its location required the pilot to reach his left hand across his body to control it while his right hand was on the control stick. According to sun and moon data for the day of the accident, the landing approach would have been in the direction of the setting sun, which likely would have obscured the pilot’s vision as he approached the runway, making it difficult to judge the airplane’s height above the ground and clearance from the approach lights.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot failed to maintain sufficient altitude during the landing approach, which resulted in the airplane contacting an approach light. Contributing to the accident was the setting sun, which most likely obscured the pilot’s vision.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/6/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1840 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Holland |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 49422 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 424442N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0860533W |
| Event Location Airport | Tulip City |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | BIV |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 698 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Unknown |
| Time of the weather observation | 1853 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BIV |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 698 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| 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) | 9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.25 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 31604 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-GR-FSDO |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 3 2013 3:40PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coln |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2935R |
| NTSB Number | CEN12FA010 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BRINKERHUFF GERALD G |
| Aircraft Model | Q200 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2036 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1300 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 7 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 6.9 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | BRINKERHUFF GERALD G |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | GOBLES |
| Aircraft Owner State | MI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 49055-9247 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | BRINKERHUFF GERALD G |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | GOBLES |
| Operator State | MI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 49055-9247 |
| 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 | BIV |
| Departure City | Holland |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 35D |
| Destination City | Allegan |
| Destination State | MI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 18 2013 1:35PM |
| User who most recently changed record | sulp |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 28 |
| Runway Length | 6002 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |