Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Controlled Flight Into Object: Cessna 150M, N9492U; fatal accident occurred September 09, 2019 in Whitehall, Muskegon County, Michigan






Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board 

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident. 

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Grand Rapids, Michigan 

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:


Location: Whitehall, Michigan
Accident Number: CEN19LA308
Date and Time: September 9, 2019, 11:40 Local
Registration: N9492U
Aircraft: Cessna 150 
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Analysis

The pilot was conducting a personal flight in visual meteorological conditions below the minimum safe altitudes and over congested areas when the airplane impacted the center of a water tower. Witnesses observed the airplane in straight and level flight before impact and reported the engine was running at that time. Examination of the wreckage revealed no anomalies that would have prevented the pilot from maneuvering to avoid the tower.

The pilot’s toxicology results were positive for an antidepressant and a sedating antihistamine. The pilot was operating the airplane with an expired medical certificate, and his medical records indicated that he had been prescribed an antidepressant to treat anxiety/depression. This medication required the pilot to obtain a special issuance medical certificate before operating the airplane. It could not be determined if the pilot was impaired by his use of these medications or by the underlying conditions that warranted the medication.

The reasons that the pilot operated the airplane over a congested area at a low altitude and failed to avoid the water tower could not be determined based on the available evidence for this investigation.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot’s flight into a water tower while operating below minimum safe altitudes for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence for this investigation.

Findings

Aircraft Altitude - Incorrect use/operation
Aircraft Directional control - Incorrect use/operation
Environmental issues Tower/antenna (incl guy wires) - Contributed to outcome

Factual Information

History of Flight

Enroute-cruise Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT) (Defining event)

On September 9, 2019, about 1140 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150 airplane, N9492U, was involved in an accident when it impacted a water tower in Whitehall, Michigan. The pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.

The flight originated from Fremont Municipal Airport (FFX), Fremont, Michigan, about 1115. The pilot’s intended destination could not be determined from the available evidence for this investigation. Witnesses reported observing the airplane flying from the north-northeast at a low altitude and in straight and level flight before the airplane impacted the 180-ft-tall municipal water tower, which was located in a densely populated area about 17 miles west of the departure airport. The witnesses also reported hearing the engine operating at a high-power setting when the impact occurred.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private 
Age: 79, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land 
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None 
Restraint Used: None
Instrument Rating(s): None 
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None 
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 3 None
Last FAA Medical Exam: November 1, 1998
Occupational Pilot: No 
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time:

No pilot logbooks were found during the investigation. The pilot reported a total flight experience of 2,000 hours at the time of his last medical exam, which occurred more than 20 years before the accident. The FAA had no records indicating that the pilot had renewed his third-class medical certificate after it expired.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna
Registration: N9492U
Model/Series: 150M
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1976 
Amateur Built:
Airworthiness Certificate: Utility
Serial Number: 15078440
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle 
Seats:
Date/Type of Last Inspection: Unknown
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1601 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: 
Engine Model/Series: O-200 SERIES
Registered Owner:
Rated Power: 100 Horsepower
Operator: On file 
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

No maintenance logbooks were located during the investigation.

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC)
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KMKG,633 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 17 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 11:55 Local
Direction from Accident Site: 142°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 3500 ft AGL
Visibility: 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling: None 
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 9 knots / 
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:  /
Wind Direction: 90° 
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:  /
Altimeter Setting: 29.56 inches Hg 
Temperature/Dew Point: 17.8°C / 11.1°C
Precipitation and Obscuration:
Departure Point: Fremont, MI (FFX) 
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination:
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 11:15 Local 
Type of Airspace:

Airport Information

Airport: Fremont Municipal Airport KFFX 
Runway Surface Type:
Airport Elevation: 771 ft msl 
Runway Surface Condition: Unknown
Runway Used: 
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width:
VFR Approach/Landing: None

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 43.405555,-86.335556(est)

The water tower showed impact damage near the center of the tank that was consistent with the damage noted on the leading edge of the wings and the propeller. The damage to the airplane and the water tower was consistent with the airplane impacting the water tower perpendicular to the tank. The impact was on an approximate heading of 225°. The airplane wreckage was aligned on an approximate heading of 260°. The wreckage was mostly contained to an area that was 15 ft in diameter in the northeast corner of a fenced lot containing the water tower. Miscellaneous debris consisting of a nose and main landing gear tire and small pieces of metal, plastic, and windshield were located within a 130-ft radius of the main wreckage.

Most of the cockpit area and fuselage were consumed by postimpact fire. Flight control continuity was established from the elevators, rudder, and ailerons to the cockpit area, but the impact and fire damage prevented control continuity from being established within the cockpit. The flaps were attached to the wings in the retracted position, the flap cables were intact, and continuity was established between the flaps.

The engine was located under fire-damaged fuselage debris. The engine sustained impact and fire damage and was found fragmented. The engine crankcase was fractured, and cylinders were expelled from the crankcase. The crankshaft was fractured with a part still attached to the propeller.

The propeller had separated from the engine and came to rest under the horizontal and vertical stabilizers. The propeller was damaged from its impact with the water tower. The spinner assembly was flattened and deformed into the propeller hub, and a circular flattening was observed. The propeller mounting bolts were sheared and exhibited rotational bending. One blade was bent aft at the tip, bent midspan, and had chordwise scratching. The other blade was bent aft near the blade root and had chordwise scratching. No airframe or engine anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction were noted.

Additional Information

Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations 91.119, Minimum Safe Altitudes, states in part the following:

Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the following altitudes…Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft.

Medical and Pathological Information

The Western Michigan University School of Medicine, Medical Examiner and Forensic Services, performed an autopsy of the pilot. His cause of death was multiple injuries. Toxicology testing performed at the Federal Aviation Administration’s Forensic Sciences Laboratory detected citalopram, N-desmethylcitalopram, and diphenhydramine in the pilot’s specimens.

Citalopram is a prescription medication used to treat various conditions, including depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. N-desmethylcitalopram is a metabolite of citalopram. Diphenhydramine is a sedating antihistamine used to treat allergic conditions and facilitate sleep.

The patient instructions for citalopram state the following:

Because psychoactive drugs may impair judgment, thinking, or motor skills, patients should be cautioned about operating hazardous machinery, including automobiles, until they are reasonably certain that [citalopram] therapy does not affect their ability to engage in such activities.

The effects of long-term use of citalopram on performance is not known. The FAA requires pilots using antidepressants, including citalopram, to have a special issuance medical certificate.

The pilot’s personal medical records for the 3 years before the accident were reviewed. The records revealed that the pilot had a longstanding history of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and an anxiety disorder. He used lisinopril to treat his high blood pressure, atorvastatin to treat his high cholesterol, and escitalopram to treat anxiety/depression. These records did not mention of the extent or seriousness of the pilot’s anxiety/depression.

Major depression is associated with significant cognitive degradation, particularly in executive functioning skills. The cognitive degradation may not improve even with remission of a depressed episode, and patients with severe depression are more significantly affected than those with fewer symptoms or episodes. 





Location: WHITEHALL, MI
Accident Number: CEN19LA308
Date & Time: 09/09/2019, 1140 EDT
Registration: N9492U
Aircraft: Cessna 150
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On September 9, 2019, about 1140 eastern daylight time (EDT), a Cessna C-150 airplane, N9492U, impacted a water tower in Whitehall, Michigan. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed by the impact and a post crash fire. The airplane was operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions were reported at the accident site at the time of the accident, and the flight was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from Fremont Municipal Airport (FFX), Fremont, Michigan, about 1115.

According to local law enforcement officials, witnesses observed the airplane flying straight and level prior to impact with a 180 ft tall municipal water tower. The witnesses also reported the engine appeared to be operating normally at a high power setting when the impact occurred.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna
Registration: N9492U
Model/Series: 150 M
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: 
Observation Time:
Distance from Accident Site:
Temperature/Dew Point:
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction:
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility:  
Altimeter Setting:
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Fremont, MI (FFX)
Destination:

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 43.405556, -86.335556 (est)


James Joseph Laird 

Laird, James 11/20/1939 - 9/9/2019
Twin Lake 

James Laird, age 79, passed away unexpectedly doing what he loved to do on September 9th, 2019. He was born in Muskegon, MI on November 20, 1939 to Galen & Henrietta (Fortenbacher) Laird. He married the former Carol Schultz and then married Janice Mabrey Wisniewski. Mr. Laird had been owner/operator at Laird Heating and Cooling. 

James liked flying planes, model trains & his dog, Dutch. 

SURVIVORS 
Wife, Janice; Sons, Jeff (Deb) Laird of Blue Lake & Brian (Patti) Laird of Whitehall; step- daughters, Lynn Lindsey & Staci Boike; grandsons, Kyle Laird, Dustin Laird, Matt (Jenna) Laird, Devon (Matt) Cowles & Austin Boike; great grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Marge Laird & Rosemary Laird; nephew, Bob Laird & other nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, William & Robert; sister, Mary Margaret & step son, Steve. 

SERVICE 
According to Jim's wishes there will be no services. 
Please visit www.clockfuneralhome.com to leave a memory.






A private plane struck the Whitehall water tower near the intersection of Warner St. and Sophia St. at 11:42 a.m. Monday, September 9th, killing the pilot.

By later Monday the name of the deceased pilot was released. He was James Joseph Laird, age 79 of Twin Lake.

Family members were at the crash site while remains of the plane were removed.

A son, Brian Laird, said his dad had flown for many years, and he kept his airplane at the Fremont airport. "We're in the dark about what happened," he said.

The crash occurred across the road from the main Whitehall District Schools campus which includes the middle school, the football stadium and community center with pre-school. Also next to the water tower are the school baseball and softball fields.

The plane burst into flames upon impact, according to witnesses.

The plane wreckage was mostly contained within the boundary fence surrounding the water tower. The wheels were found on Sophia Street and smaller parts were scattered in nearby yards and grassy areas.

A small dent and scorch mark can be seen on the water tower where it was struck.

Whitehall schools immediately alerted parents about the incident and that their children were safe. However, it is believed some children on the football field and preschool playground witnessed the crash.

Whitehall Police Chief Roger Squiers said all public safety departments in the area responded to the scene, and a White Lake Fire Authority member was first on the scene.

Squiers said the flames were quickly extinguished.

White Lake Fire Authority Chief Gregory Holman said WLFA, Montague Fire and Blue Lake Twp were dispatched to the scene at 11:42 a.m. "Montague and Blue Lake are on automatic aid for a scenario like that," Holman explained.

The chief said the WLFA initiated the fire attack and Montague was quickly on the scene to supply WLFA's mini-pumper.

Dalton Township and Norton Shores fire departments reached out to provide command assistance.

Because the fire was extinguished quickly, Holman said Blue Lake was moved to the WLFA Station One to provide coverage while WLFA was on the airplane crash scene. Blue Lake was released at 3 p.m., and had responded to calls during that time.

Holman said Norton Shores was helpful because it deals with air traffic control at the Muskegon County Airport and has resources.

Norton Shores and Central Dispatch helped contact outside agencies like the Federal Aviation Administration for an investigation, and the Medical Examiner to official declare the pilot deceased.

The WLFA chief said that once the fire was extinguished their efforts turned to blocking out outside traffic and preserving the scene by marking location of debris.

Firefighters also helped remove the body from the wreckage for the Medical Examiner.

Law enforcement at the scene were the Whitehall and Montague city police, Muskegon County Sheriff's Department and the Michigan State Police.

Emergency Medical Services were provided by Pro-Med and White Lake Ambulance Authority.

The Muskegon County Emergency Services also provided support.

The local McDonalds restaurant sent over cheeseburgers and French Fries for first responders who were at the crash scene.

"It was a unified incident command," the fire chief said. "It was a very great joint effort from law enforcement, EMS, fire and even Whitehall DPW becasue it involved the water tower. It was an unfortunate event, but very successful because it demonstrated the cooperation between all our agencies."

Holman said Central Dispatch played a key role by sending out resources while also handling many calls reporting the crash.

“In the initial assessment there was one male passenger in the plane.,” reported Squiers in mid-afternoon.

He said the single engine plane originated from the Fremont Airport and the pilot lived east of Whitehall.

The plane was headed from the northeast in a southwesterly direction, the chief explained.

He said witnesses indicated the plane showed a level flight with no veering and no signs of engine problems.

“We don’t know where the pilot was going or what his intentions were,” Squiers added.

Jeremy Watts, one of the eyewitnesses to the crash, works at a home across Sophia Street from the 500,000 gallon, 180 foot tall water tower.

“I was standing in the yard at 820 Sophia Street and was walking back (to the house) when I looked overhead and saw the plane.”

Watts said the plane engine was loud because it was flying so low. “It hit the water tower straight on. I immediately called 911. It (plane) went straight down and there was black smoke where it hit. I ran up to the fence but didn’t see much.

“It’s the craziest thing I have seen in my life. There was so much black smoke and fire.”

Immediately after the crash smoke could be seen from the crash site for several blocks to the west.

City of Whitehall Department of Public Works Director Brian Armstrong and City Manager Scott Huebler were at the scene.

Huebler said Armstrong was working on arranging for engineers to check the integrity of the water tower.

“In the meantime we are taking it out of service,” added Huebler who said DPW personnel will be draining the water tower until it is inspected.

“We have a second water tower so we don’t need it for normal operations,” Huebler said. “We won’t have to restrict water usage.”

The city manager said they have contacted the schools to tell officials that Warner Street, from Alice Street to Slocum Street will be off limits for buses for at least a day.

Original article ➤ https://www.shorelinemedia.net





WHITEHALL, Michigan (WOOD) — Authorities say a 79-year-old pilot is dead after his plane crashed into Whitehall’s water tower and caught fire.

Crews were called to the scene in the area of Warner and Sophia streets near Whitehall District Schools’ athletic fields around 11:42 a.m. Monday.

Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and flames coming from the wreckage. Crews put out the fire and determined the pilot of the single-engine plane had died.

Whitehall Police Chief Roger Squires identified the pilot as James Joseph Laird of Twin Lake. Laird took off from Fremont’s municipal airport about 45 minutes before the crash, according to authorities.

Investigators say it’s unclear what caused his plane to crash. They say Laird’s flight path didn’t change and there is no indication of engine problems based on the plane’s speed.

Online Federal Aviation Administration records show that Laird’s certification to fly expired in 2000, News 8 found.

School administrative staff told News 8 that there were no students and staff on the ground in that area when the crashed happened. Authorities confirmed no one else was injured in the incident.

The city has isolated the water tower from its system and shut it off until inspectors can evaluate the tower’s structure and water.

Investigators say the wreckage will remain at the scene for a few hours until the Federal Aviation Administration arrives.

Story and video ➤ https://www.woodtv.com

WHITEHALL, Michigan -  A 79-year-old man is dead after his small aircraft crashed into the Whitehall water tower and landed near the Whitehall Public Schools' athletic fields.

Whitehall Police Chief Roger Squiers says the pilot, James Joseph Laird, who lives east of Whitehall, left the Fremont Airport about 45 minutes before the crash.  

The Federal Aviation Administration was on scene, investigating the crash as part of the NTSB's investigation into the situation. According to Elizabeth Cory, with the Public Affairs office of the FAA, investigators discovered Laird did not have a valid medical certificate -- which is required to pilot planes, including the Cessna 150M aircraft involved in the crash.

Jeremy Watts, a witness, said he watched Laird's plane hit the water tower. It sounded like a normal airplane but louder because it was so low to the ground.

"It hit the tower and just went straight down and then up in flames," Watts said.

There was no indication that the plane was experiencing mechanical issues, according to Squiers. A resident told authorities the single-engine plane was flying level with no veering and no change of speed.

The City of Whitehall shut off the water tower and will be testing it after the site is clear, as well as inspecting the integrity of the structure -- which authorities don't believe was harmed aside from the scuff mark on the front and a dent. 

13 comments:

  1. RIP.

    unanswered questions!

    ... one of the eyewitnesses to the crash, works at a home across Sophia Street from the 500,000 gallon, 180 foot tall water tower.

    “I was standing in the yard at 820 Sophia Street and was walking back (to the house) when I looked overhead and saw the plane.”

    Watts said the plane engine was loud because it was flying so low. “It hit the water tower straight on. I immediately called 911. It (plane) went straight down and there was black smoke where it hit. I ran up to the fence but didn’t see much.

    Commend the community response effort.

    "It was a unified incident command," the fire chief said. "It was a very great joint effort from law enforcement, EMS, fire and even Whitehall DPW becasue it involved the water tower. It was an unfortunate event, but very successful because it demonstrated the cooperation between all our agencies."

    ReplyDelete
  2. Translated: An old guy died doing what he loved and he crashed and burned. Hope I make it to that age. That would be awesome. Prayers.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm going with medical incapacitation as a cause on this one.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm going with suicide as the cause on this one.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am waiting for further investigation on this one

    ReplyDelete
  6. Let's start with this. PVT Pilot issued 2005, last reported medical-1998.

    License date due to many being re-issued a plastic license around that time- last reported medical- well, believe it or not, there are many who fly without current medical exams.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Flew into a water tower on September 11?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Looks like suicide by pilot. He wasn't an AG plane so what the hell he was doing less than 500 ft from structures and people, assuming it was an unpopulated part of town. If it was a high density urban environment, even just a speck of yellow on the sectional, he would have to be at least 1000 ft AGL and 2000 ft horizontally from any vertical structure that high.

    I call deliberate and premeditated on this one. Indeed 911 got to him for some obscure reasons we could never explain.

    ReplyDelete
  9. The accident was on the 9th not the 11th. Please try and read the article next time.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Heading straight for the tower that low,died doing what he enjoyed the most,sad for those he left behind.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Obviously those water towers are made pretty stout! Hit it dead-on and barely scratched it.

    ReplyDelete
  12. "Obviously those water towers are made pretty stout! Hit it dead-on and barely scratched it."

    Good point. But of course the water tower had a small mass advantage. 500,000 gallons of water weighs 4 million pounds. The tower itself would be at least another million pounds. Call it 5 million pounds ... rough math.

    Then some rough math on the Cessna ... about 1,500 lb with one person on board.

    Water tower outweighs the Cessna about 3,000 : 1.

    ReplyDelete