20080824846039A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Aircraft · Mount Pleasant, MI · August 24, 2008

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal NTSB investigation search

Date: August 24, 2008 · 13:35 local
Place: Mount Pleasant, MI
Airport: Mount Pleasant Municipal
Phase of flight: Final Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: NONE
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 0 total0 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Pilot told midland county sheriff deputy that he had bought the aircraft a year ago and had just recently finished assembling it. He stated that he had made a couple of approaches to his private runway prior to the crash. His attempts were aborted due to some strong crosswinds. On his last approach the main drive belt broke causing him to lose power and momentum. He tried to fly into the top of a large oak tree to slow his airspeed but missed the tree. The aircraft lost all momentum and crashed into the ground nose first.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT TOLD MIDLAND COUNTY SHERIFF DEPUTY THAT HE HAD BOUGHT THE AIRCRAFT A YEAR AGO AND HAD JUST RECENTLY FINISHED ASSEMBLING IT. HE STATED THAT HE HAD MADE A COUPLE OF APPROACHES TO HIS PRIVATE RUNWAY PRIOR TO THE CRASH. HIS ATTEMPTS WERE ABORTED DUE TO SOME STRONG CROSSWINDS. ON HIS LAST APPROACH THE MAIN DRIVE BELT BROKE CAUSING HIM TO LOSE POWER AND MOMENTUM. HE TRIED TO FLY INTO THE TOP OF A LARGE OAK TREE TO SLOW HIS AIRSPEED BUT MISSED THE TREE. THE AIRCRAFT LOST ALL MOMENTUM AND CRASHED INTO THE GROUND NOSE FIRST.