None Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Goodrich, Michigan 48438
Saturday, July 21, 2012 15:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The non-certificated pilot had just departed from and was returning to land on a lake in an unregistered experimental airplane when the engine stopped producing power. He was unable to glide back to the water and the airplane collided with a tree and a house near the shoreline. When the airplane was examined, water and debris were found in the fuel system. The pilot stated that he conducted a preflight inspection before the accident flight and that he was “afraid [he] missed something.” A review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records revealed the airplane had not been issued an FAA airworthiness certificate.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The operation of an unregistered and unairworthy airplane by a non-certificated pilot. Contributing to the accident was the non-certificated pilot’s improper preflight inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to water/debris contamination in the fuel.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/21/2012
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Goodrich
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48438
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 425508N
Event Location Longitude 0833020W
Event Location Airport None
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 1953 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID FNT
Elevation of weather observation facility 782
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
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 --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.05
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 30759
NTSB Notification Source DET FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 21 2012 2:43PM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number None
NTSB Number CEN12LA483
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name EIPPER
Aircraft Model Quicksilver MXL II
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 000799
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 1
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 90
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name None-Aircraft not registered
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Al Rowinski
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Goodrich
Operator State MI
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 48438
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 None
Departure City Goodrich
Departure State MI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code None
Destination City Goodrich
Destination State MI
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 11 2012 12:47PM
User who most recently changed record yeal
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 --