Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: http://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Docket And Docket Items - National Transportation Safety Board: http://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
Aviation Accident Data Summary - National Transportation Safety Board: http://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
http://registry.faa.gov/N5788D
FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Grand Rapids FSDO-09
NTSB Identification: CEN16LA252
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, July 02, 2016 in Houghton Lake Heights, MI
Probable Cause Approval Date: 12/12/2016
Aircraft: PIPER PA-22-150, registration: N5788D
Injuries: 4 Minor.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The private pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to provide the passengers with an introductory flight in conjunction with an event hosted by a local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association. He stated that there were no mechanical issues or anomalies with the airplane during an earlier flight. After departure, the airplane climbed to 2,500 ft mean sea level, and the pilot completed a local flight before entering the traffic pattern for a full-stop landing on runway 34. The pilot reported that, while on final approach, as the airplane passed over a tree line, it encountered a downdraft and descended below the normal glidepath. As he increased engine power to arrest the airplane’s descent, the main landing gear struck a wire fence near the approach end of the runway.
The airplane subsequently landed hard on its nose landing gear, which collapsed the nose gear, and skidded to a stop in a nose-down attitude on the runway. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A postaccident review of available meteorological data established that the surface wind was likely variable from the southwest to northwest at 5 to 8 knots. Although the variable wind condition had the potential to develop minor turbulence and an associated downdraft during the final approach, the pilot should have been able to anticipate and adequately handle the variable wind condition. It is likely that the pilot’s delayed reaction to the variable wind condition resulted in an excessive descent rate and the airplane’s subsequent collision with the wire fence short of the runway.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's delayed reaction to the variable wind condition, which resulted in an excessive descent rate and the airplane's subsequent collision with a wire fence short of the runway.
On July 2, 2016, about 1020 eastern daylight time, a Piper model PA-22-150 single-engine airplane, N5788D, was substantially damaged when it collided with a wire fence and terrain while landing at Houghton Lake State Airport, 5Y2, near Houghton Lake Heights, Michigan. The private pilot and 3 passengers sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area flight that departed about 1000.
The pilot reported that the purpose of the accident flight was to provide the passengers with an introductory flight in conjunction with an event hosted by a local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical issues or anomalies with the airplane during his earlier flight from his base airport to 5Y2. The flight departed runway 34 (2,750 feet by 104 feet, turf), climbed to 2,500 feet mean sea level, and completed a local flight of the Houghton Lake area before entering the traffic pattern for a full-stop landing on runway 34. The pilot reported that while on final approach, as they passed over a tree line, the airplane encountered a downdraft and descended below a normal glide path. As he increased engine power to arrest the airplane's descent the main landing gear collided with a wire fence located near the approach end of the runway. The airplane subsequently landed hard on its nose landing gear, collapsing the nose gear, and skidded to a stop in a nose-down attitude on the runway. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The fuselage, engine firewall, and left wing were substantially damaged during the accident.
The closest aviation weather station was located at Roscommon County Airport (HTL), Houghton Lake, Michigan, about 5.6 miles east of the accident site. At 0953, the HTL automated surface observing system reported: a surface wind from 270 degrees at 5 knots, surface visibility 10 statute miles, clear sky, temperature 19 degrees Celsius, dew point 11 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.15 inches of mercury. The weather station's next hourly report, issued at 1053, indicated that the surface wind direction was variable between 230 and 300 degrees at 8 knots.
At 10:25 a.m. on July 2nd, a trooper from the Houghton Lake State Police Post was sent to Houghton Lake Airport to investigate an aircraft accident.
The investigation revealed that a single engine Piper operated by a 66-year-old man from Grayling, hit the fence at the south end of the airport.
The pilot stated he began his approach and was caught by a down draft.
After hitting the fence, the front wheel of the aircraft was bent backwards into the body of the aircraft, causing it to skid on the nose of the plane.
The aircraft came to rest approximately 100 yards north of the initial impact.
The aircraft remained upright during the skid and the pilot, along with two other male passengers sustained minor injuries.
A female passenger was uninjured.
All occupants were treated and released at the scene, however the FAA was contacted and the incident remains under investigation.
Original article can be found here: http://wbkb11.com
ROSCOMMON COUNTY, Mi (WPBN/WGTU)-- Three people were injured in a plane crash in Roscommon County.
The incident happened around 10:25 a.m. Saturday at the Houghton Lake Airport.
According to the Michigan State Police, investigation showed that a single engine Piper, operated by a 66-year-old man from Grayling, hit the fence at the south end of the airport.
The pilot said he began his approach and was caught by a downdraft, troopers say.
Troopers say after the plane hit the fence, the front wheel of the aircraft was bent backwards into the body of the aircraft, causing it to skid on the nose of the plane. The aircraft came to rest about 100 yards north of the initial impact. The aircraft remained upright during the skid.
The pilot, along with an adult male passenger and a juvenile male passenger sustained minor injuries. A juvenile female passenger was uninjured.
All occupants of the plane were treated and released at the scene.
The FAA was contacted and the incident remains under investigation.
Original article can be found here: http://upnorthlive.com
Three people were hurt when a plane crashed in Roscommon County Saturday morning.
State Police say the pilot was trying to land at the Houghton Lake airport when he says he got caught in a down draft.
Troopers say the single engine plane hit a fence as it landed and then skidded before coming to a stop about 100 yards from the spot of the initial impact
The pilot from Grayling, and two other passengers had minor injuries.
A fourth passenger was not hurt.
They were all treated and released at the scene.
The accident remains under investigation.
Original article can be found here: http://www.9and10news.com
four in a tri-pacer is a bit much weight.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your sentiment.
ReplyDelete