What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 20, 2019, about 1115 eastern daylight time, an Aero Commander (meyers) 200D airplane impacted terrain shortly after departing the Livingston County spencer j hardy airport (ozw), Howell, Michigan. The pilot and pilot rated passenger received fatal injuries and the airplane was substantially damaged.
According to reports, the airplane had recently undergone maintenance, including the installation of a field overhauled engine and a new 3-bladed propeller. The purpose of the flight
Was for a maintenance test flight for the airplane. The pilot-rated passenger, seated in the right seat, was also a mechanic who had performed the recent work on the airplane. The pilot, seated
In the left seat, owned a similar airplane make and model.
The airplane was flown earlier in the day. The airplane was then fueled with 34.4 gallons of fuel. It is unknown if any adjustments or maintenance items were accomplished before the second flight.
Witnesses reported that the airplane departed runway 13 at ozw; they added that when the airplane was about 200 to 300 ft in the air, the airplane appeared to stop its climb and was
Silent. One witness reported that it looked like the airplane tried to turn back to the runway, before entering a rapid decent.
The airplane impacted terrain and came to rest about 600 ft beyond the departure end of the runway.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 20, 2019, ABOUT 1115 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AERO COMMANDER (MEYERS) 200D AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING THE LIVINGSTON COUNTY SPENCER J HARDY AIRPORT (OZW), HOWELL, MICHIGAN. THE PILOT AND PILOT RATED PASSENGER RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES AND THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.
ACCORDING TO REPORTS, THE AIRPLANE HAD RECENTLY UNDERGONE MAINTENANCE, INCLUDING THE INSTALLATION OF A FIELD OVERHAULED ENGINE AND A NEW 3-BLADED PROPELLER. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT
WAS FOR A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT FOR THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT-RATED PASSENGER, SEATED IN THE RIGHT SEAT, WAS ALSO A MECHANIC WHO HAD PERFORMED THE RECENT WORK ON THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT, SEATED
IN THE LEFT SEAT, OWNED A SIMILAR AIRPLANE MAKE AND MODEL.
THE AIRPLANE WAS FLOWN EARLIER IN THE DAY. THE AIRPLANE WAS THEN FUELED WITH 34.4 GALLONS OF FUEL. IT IS UNKNOWN IF ANY ADJUSTMENTS OR MAINTENANCE ITEMS WERE ACCOMPLISHED BEFORE THE SECOND FLIGHT.
WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED RUNWAY 13 AT OZW; THEY ADDED THAT WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 200 TO 300 FT IN THE AIR, THE AIRPLANE APPEARED TO STOP ITS CLIMB AND WAS
SILENT. ONE WITNESS REPORTED THAT IT LOOKED LIKE THE AIRPLANE TRIED TO TURN BACK TO THE RUNWAY, BEFORE ENTERING A RAPID DECENT.
THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN AND CAME TO REST ABOUT 600 FT BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.