20250708008109A

ON JULY 8TH, 2025, AT APPROXIMATELY 1342 EDT, A CESSNA 177 CARDINAL AIRCRAFT, REGISTERED AS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE DURING A FLIGHT IN JENISON, MICHIGAN AT RIVERVIEW AIRPORT (08C). THE FLIGHT, OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT WITH ONE PASSENGER, WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE GUIDELINES OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91, WITHOUT A FILED FLIGHT PLAN. UNFORTUNATELY, BOTH THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE INJURED DURING THE EVENT AND TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL FOR IMMEDIATE MEDICAL CARE.

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE PERFORMED A THOROUGH AND UNEVENTFUL PREFLIGHT IN AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AT APPROXIMATELY 1330 EDT. ONCE HIS PREFLIGHT WAS COMPLETE, HE TAXIED SOLO TO THE AIRPORT OFFICE TO PICK UP HIS PASSENGER. THEY PROCEEDED TO THE TAXI WAY. AFTER COMPLETING GROUND CHECKS, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE BEGAN A LONG RUNUP FROM THE OVERRUN POSITION TO GIVE THEMSELVES EXTRA ROOM. HE STATED THAT HE BEGAN ROTATION AFTER 60 MPH AND HAD SOME DIFFICULTY WITH GETTING THE AIRPLANE OFF THE DECK. WITNESSES AFFIRMED THAT THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO ATTEMPT TO TAKE OFF TWICE AND ALMOST IMPACTED THE TAIL. THE PASSENGER, WITHOUT ANY VERBAL WARNING, GRABBED THE CONTROLS FROM HIS SIDE (RIGHT), PULLING BACK ON THE YOKE QUICKLY AND BEGAN EXECUTING A LEFT-HAND TURN FROM THE FLIGHT LINE. THE PILOT TOLD INSPECTORS THAT HE RELINQUISHED THE STICK IMMEDIATELY, SO AS NOT TO “FIGHT” OVER THE CONTROLS. THE PILOT TOLD HIS PASSENGER THAT HE WAS EXTREMELY CLOSE TO THE TREELINE, AND AT THAT MOMENT FELT SCRAPING NOISES, AT WHICH POINT HE BELIEVES THAT THE PLANE STRUCK A TREE, SPINNING IT TO THE LEFT AND NOSE DOWN VERY QUICKLY, AND AT WHICH POINT THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO A WATER-FILLED GRAVEL PIT NEXT TO THE FLIGHT LINE. THE PILOT REMAINED CONCIOUS, EVEN AFTER HITTING HIS HEAD ON THE YOKE, AND RECALLS WATER FLOODING INTO THE COCKPIT. HE RECOLLECTED ATTEMPTING TO AWAKEN HIS PASSENGER, BUT COULD NOT, SO HE MADE THE DECISION TO JETTISON THE AICRAFT AND CALL FOR HELP. HE OPENED THE LEFT-HAND COCKPIT DOOR AND SWAM TO THE SURFACE. AT THIS TIME, HE BELIVED THE AIRCRAFT COCKPIT TO BE ABOUT SIX FEET BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE WATER. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SIGNALLED TO TWO PEOPLE TO HELP HIM IN THE WATER. AT THIS TIME, TWO MALES ENTERED THE WATER, AND HELPED TO EXTRICATE THE PASSENGER THROUGH THE BROKEN WINDSCREEN, AS THEY WERE UNABLE TO OPEN THE RIGHT-SIDE DOOR. TOGETHER, WITH A THIRD BYSTANDER, THEY WERE ABLE TO PERFORM CPR ON THE PASSENGER AND REVIVE HIM. AT APPROXIMATELY 1342 EDT, FIRST RESPONDERS ARRIVED ON SCENE AND HELPED THE PILOT AND PASSENGER TO THE NEAREST HOSPITAL BY AMBULENCE.

INSPECTOR^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND I ARRIVED ON SCENE AT APPROXIMATELY 1530 EDT. WE ARRIVED AT THE RUNWAY AT RIVERVIEW AIRPORT AND IMMEDIATELY APPROACHED EMERGENCY RESPONDERS AND AIRPORT PERSONNEL TO SEE THE AREA OF WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. FROM THE FLIGHT LINE, A FLOODED GRAVEL PIT RUNS PARALLEL, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS BARELY VISIBLE, WITH ONLY THE PORT WINGTIP PROTRUDING ABOVE THE SURFACE OF THE WATER. INSPECTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND I BEGIN TO INVESTIGATE THE SURROUNDING AREA AND FLIGHT LINE AND BEGAN ACCUMULATING DATA AND WITNESS INFORMATION AS WE WAITED FOR A POLICE DIVE TEAM TO ASSIST A TOW TRACK IN BRING THE AIRCRAFT OUT OF THE WATER. WE NOTED DAMAGE TO TREETOPS IN THE VICINITY OF THE AIRCRAFT CRASH SITE, AND PHOTGRAPHED THEM, AS WELL AS INSPECTING THE FLIGHT LINE TO SEE IF WE COULD ASCERTAIN ANY SCRAPING/DAMAGE FROM A POSSIBLE TAIL BOUNCE DURING TAKEOFF (NONE NOTED). WE NOTED THE WEATHER AS VFR, MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES AND ONLY A LIGHT WIND. ONCE THE TOW TRUCK WAS ABLE TO PULL THE AIRCRAFT ONTO THE BANK, WE NOTED DAMAGE TO BOTH WING TIPS, THE BROKEN WINDSCREEN, AND A PROMINENT DENT IN THE LEADING EDGE OF THE STARBOARD ELEVATOR. ONCE THE AIRCRAFT WAS SAFE TO DO SO, WE BEGAN TO NOTE THE POSITION OF FLIGHT CONTROLS AND INDICATORS AND BEGAN TO MANUIPULATE THE FLIGHT CONTROLS TO SEE IF ANY ABNORMALITIES WERE PRESENT. NONE WERE DISCOVERED AT THE SCENE.