14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, July 06, 2013 in Chesaning, MI
Aircraft: JDT 1600R, registration: None
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On July 6, 2013, about 1845 eastern daylight time, an unregistered amateur-built JDT-1600R airplane was destroyed by impact and a post-crash fire near Chesaning, Michigan. The pilot was fatally injured. The aircraft was not registered and was operated by the pilot as personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from the Howard Nixon Memorial Airport, at an unconfirmed time.
The airplane was a single seat monoplane with a fixed conventional (tail-dragger) landing gear configuration. The airplane was constructed predominately of wood with a fabric covering and was powered by a two-cylinder, two-stroke Rotax engine. The exact engine model could not be determined, but it was determined that it was either a Rotax model 447 or Rotax model 503 engine. The engine had a gear reduction unit which reduced engine crankshaft speed to drive the wood two-blade propeller.
A witness reported seeing the airplane heading north when it banked to the east and then began to spin out of control. He stated to authorities that the engine sounded as if it was "cutting out" as the airplane spun to the ground. The witness stated that the airplane struck the ground and immediately caught fire.
Examination of the airplane revealed that almost the entire fuselage of the airplane had been consumed by fire. The inboard sections of both wings and portions of the tail surfaces also exhibited extensive fire damage.The structure of the tail and both wings was evident and in their proper respective positions relative to each other. All of the airplane's flight control surfaces remained at least partially attached to the airframe. The control system could not be fully examined due to the extensive fire damage but no preimpact anomalies were noted. The engine was examined and it was found that the smaller of the two gears for the propeller gear reduction unit had all of the teeth stripped off. There was a sludge like substance consistent with old oil in the gear reduction case but no liquid resembling oil was found. No maintenance records were found for the airplane.
CHESANING, MI — Daniel Malott was a free spirit who did things his own way, but he also made sure to operate within the law, his brother recalls.
Malott, 57, died from injuries he suffered in a plane crash outside of Chesaning Middle School on July 6.
A memorial service will take place at 4 p.m. Monday, July 15, at Rossell Funeral Home, 307 E. Main in Flushing, with the Rev. Penny Swartz officiating, according to Malott's obituary.
Daniel Malott and brother Ron Malott, 51, went out separately in 2005 and each bought an ultralight aircraft "without even telling each other," Ron Malott said Friday, July 12, nearly a week after his brother's death.
Purchased as a pre-assembled kit sport plane, Daniel Malott modified his aircraft, replacing the Rotax 503 engine with a smaller and lighter Kawasaki engine and removing gas tanks from the plane's wings to make it lighter, Ron Malott said.
With the changes, the aircraft qualified as an ultralight, which requires no license or other requirements to fly, Ron Malott said.
"He called me when he weighed it, and he was right at the limit," Ron Malott said.
Ron Malott flew more frequently, logging about 900 hours over six years and progressing to faster planes, eventually becoming certified to fly slightly heavier sport planes.
Daniel Malott was only interested in flying ultralights, according to his brother, and he estimated Daniel Malott flew less than 150 hours over a six-year period. He few less frequently in the past year, his brother said.
Malott said he learned from investigators that the engine in his brother's plane seized, causing the July 6 crash. Malott said he now questions the modifications made to the plane, but noted his brother wanted to be within the weight requirements.
"He wanted to be legal," Malott said. "It's frustrating. It's bittersweet."
It was tough not knowing the reason his brother crashed during the four-day investigation, Malott said, and knowing now has brought some closure to family members.
Malott said he believes his brother liked the wood construction aircraft because it looked more like a plane. Malott said he did not like to fly the plane himself.
"He'll be missed," Malott said while holding back tears, adding that his brother also was skilled bass player and the two played in a band together.
"He was a talented free spirit," Malott said. "I learned a lot from him, and I think I do a lot myself because of him."
Brother Matt Malott, 53, said Daniel Malott recently completed construction on a home in Albee Township made without using power tools.
"It was more to have a project totally hand-built," he said. "That was kind of the way he rolled."
He also had a home in Otter Lake and often helped other family members with construction projects.
"He was very talented and very resourceful," Matt Mallot said.
Daniel Malott was a skilled motorcycle rider and had about 50 podium finishes at "enduro" races beginning in the 1970s through the late 1990s.
"It's 100 to 150 miles through the woods, and the fastest guy wins," Matt Mallot said.
Matt Malott said his brother took up rally car racing from 2000 to 2005 and did well. Both sports went well with his love for the outdoors and northern Michigan.
Daniel Malott was born in Flint on Sept. 17, 1955, the son of Robert James and Barbara Faye (Massey) Malott, his obituary states.
He retired from the Flint Post Office in 2009 after working for 22 years. Lisa McMullin is described as Malott's soul mate in his obituary.
"It was too abrupt. He was too young," Matt Malott said. "It was an unfinished life I think because he had a lot of future plans with his girlfriend, Lisa."
Ron Malott said he plans to return to flying. While some people might try to find someone else to blame for the crash, Malott said, he and his brother knew the dangers of flying and other sports like rally racing.
"Us Malott boys, we've never been like that," he said. "We've known the risks of rally racing and motorcycles. We knew the dangers of goofing around.
"We don't blame anyone but ourselves. We're accountable for our actions."
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