What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 30, 2013, about 2015 eastern daylight time, N389BD, a Stemme gmbh S10-VT motor-glider, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing near mackinac city, Michigan. The private pilotprivacy data omitted sustained serious injuries and the passenger was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight conducted under 14 code of federal regulations part 91. No flight plan was filed for the cross-country flight that originated from the waukegan regional airport (ugn), chicago/waukegan, Illinois, about 1530, and destined for mackinac county airport (83D), st. ignace, Michigan.
In a written statement, the pilot said that he was on a long, straight in approach at an altitude about 2,000 feet, when he heard a very large "bang" in the front of the airplane. The bang was followed by a severe vibration that was so intense the pilot was unable to read his cockpit instruments. The pilot then reduced power, which reduced the vibrations; however, he was unable to maintain altitude. The pilot elected to shut down the engine and prepared to make a forced landing to a field. Just prior to landing, the airplane struck two dead trees and landed inverted.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 30, 2013, ABOUT 2015 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, N389BD, A STEMME GMBH S10-VT MOTOR-GLIDER, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A FORCED LANDING NEAR MACKINAC CITY, MICHIGAN. THE PRIVATE PILOT^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT THAT ORIGINATED FROM THE WAUKEGAN REGIONAL AIRPORT (UGN), CHICAGO/WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS, ABOUT 1530, AND DESTINED FOR MACKINAC COUNTY AIRPORT (83D), ST. IGNACE, MICHIGAN.
IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT, THE PILOT SAID THAT HE WAS ON A LONG, STRAIGHT IN APPROACH AT AN ALTITUDE ABOUT 2,000 FEET, WHEN HE HEARD A VERY LARGE "BANG" IN THE FRONT OF THE AIRPLANE. THE BANG WAS FOLLOWED BY A SEVERE VIBRATION THAT WAS SO INTENSE THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO READ HIS COCKPIT INSTRUMENTS. THE PILOT THEN REDUCED POWER, WHICH REDUCED THE VIBRATIONS; HOWEVER, HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. THE PILOT ELECTED TO SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND PREPARED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING TO A FIELD. JUST PRIOR TO LANDING, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TWO DEAD TREES AND LANDED INVERTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.