Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Au Gres, Michigan 48703
Sunday, May 13, 2012 10:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot contacted his friend and told him to be at the beach and watch for the airplane. The friend reported that he saw the airplane make about three passes up and down the beach. On the third pass, the airplane made a steep left turn, which the friend believed resulted in a stall. The pilot reported that, as he arrived at the peninsula, he proceeded across the shoreline, crossed the beach, and dropped to an altitude of about 100 feet above ground level. He made a right turn, and then, after passing the bridge, he made a tight left turn and “felt a bump/drop, as if my left wing lost lift.” He leveled off, slightly nose high, and headed in an east to southeast direction. The pilot could not recall any further details of the accident. The airplane impacted just offshore in about 5 feet of water, and the forward fuselage sustained substantial damage. The airplane’s sudden wing drop is consistent with an aerodynamic stall.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s low altitude maneuvering, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent impact with the water.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/13/2012
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Au Gres
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48703
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 440000N
Event Location Longitude 0834000W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
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 954 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 20
Weather Observation Facility ID KOSC
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.22
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 30016
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 6 2012 2:00PM
User who most recently changed record snyg
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N212LB
NTSB Number CEN12CA294
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BECKERT BRUCE A
Aircraft Model RV-6
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 20463
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BECKERT BRUCE A
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City SAGINAW
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48602-2915
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name BECKERT BRUCE A
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City SAGINAW
Operator State MI
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 48602-2915
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 No
Departure Airport Code 3CM
Departure City Bay City
Departure State MI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Au Gres
Destination State MI
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 19 2012 10:59AM
User who most recently changed record hatc
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --