What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 05/20/02, amateur built aircraft N5143C, flown by kris j. bawtinheimer took off from wilderness airpark in kent city and enroute to Grant Airport, MI. He made two or three low passes over the airport before attempting to land. On the last pass and during climb the aircraft engine stopped and the pilot triggered the brs and aircraft parachute open and the aircraft dropped down in the wooded area 1 1/2 miles north east of the airport. Pilot is the only occupant in the aircraft and escaped without injury. Damage to the aircraft was substantial. This aircraft has not been flown for over two years and this is the first time for the owner/pilot to fly this aircraft after completion of condition inspection at wilderness airpark. Pilot had only total of 3 hours flight time in this aircraft. Not much experience in make and model and long storage could have a fuel system contamination. (.19) on may 20, 2002, at 1850 central daylight time, a wattier Tornado, N5143C, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage on impact with trees following a total loss of engine power. The airplane was on approach to the Grant Airport, Grant, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot was uninjured. The flight originated at a time unknown. During the approach to the airport, the pilot circled the airport several times, and on the last pass the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The airplane's parachute recovery system was then deployed, and the airplane descended into trees under a parachute, which resulted in structural damage to both wings.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 05/20/02, AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT N5143C, FLOWN BY KRIS J. BAWTINHEIMER TOOK OFF FROM WILDERNESS AIRPARK IN KENT CITY AND ENROUTE TO GRANT AIRPORT, MI. HE MADE TWO OR THREE LOW PASSES OVER THE AIRPORT BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO LAND. ON THE LAST PASS AND DURING CLIMB THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE STOPPED AND THE PILOT TRIGGERED THE BRS AND AIRCRAFT PARACHUTE OPEN AND THE AIRCRAFT DROPPED DOWN IN THE WOODED AREA 1 1/2 MILES NORTH EAST OF THE AIRPORT. PILOT IS THE ONLY OCCUPANT IN THE AIRCRAFT AND ESCAPED WITHOUT INJURY. DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIAL. THIS AIRCRAFT HAS NOT BEEN FLOWN FOR OVER TWO YEARS AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME FOR THE OWNER/PILOT TO FLY THIS AIRCRAFT AFTER COMPLETION OF CONDITION INSPECTION AT WILDERNESS AIRPARK. PILOT HAD ONLY TOTAL OF 3 HOURS FLIGHT TIME IN THIS AIRCRAFT. NOT MUCH EXPERIENCE IN MAKE AND MODEL AND LONG STORAGE COULD HAVE A FUEL SYSTEM CONTAMINATION. (.19) ON MAY 20, 2002, AT 1850 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A WATTIER TORNADO, N5143C, PILOTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE ON IMPACT WITH TREES FOLLOWING A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE AIRPLANE WAS ON APPROACH TO THE GRANT AIRPORT, GRANT, MICHIGAN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT A TIME UNKNOWN. DURING THE APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT CIRCLED THE AIRPORT SEVERAL TIMES, AND ON THE LAST PASS THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE AIRPLANE'S PARACHUTE RECOVERY SYSTEM WAS THEN DEPLOYED, AND THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED INTO TREES UNDER A PARACHUTE, WHICH RESULTED IN STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N5143C · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.