- Date
- July 21, 2012, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Goodrich, MI
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- UNREGEipper Quicksilver MXL II
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Fuel contamination
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- East Michigan FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 84468
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The operation of an unregistered and unairworthy airplane by a non-certificated pilot. Contributing to the accident was the non-certificated pilot’s improper preflight inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to water/debris contamination in the fuel.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The non-certificated pilot had just departed from and was returning to land on a lake in an unregistered experimental airplane when the engine stopped producing power. He was unable to glide back to the water and the airplane collided with a tree and a house near the shoreline. When the airplane was examined, water and debris were found in the fuel system. The pilot stated that he conducted a preflight inspection before the accident flight and that he was “afraid [he] missed something.” A review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records revealed the airplane had not been issued an FAA airworthiness certificate.
Factual narrative
On July 21, 2012, at 1500 central daylight time, an unregistered and float-equipped, amateur built-experimental Eipper Quicksilver MXL Sport II airplane, sustained substantial damage after a total loss of engine power while maneuvering to land on Lake Shinanguag near Goodrich, Michigan. The non-certificated pilot sustained minor injuries and his passenger was seriously hurt. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The non-certificated pilot said that shortly after he departed the lake, he elected to return to land due to turbulence. While on the downwind leg, the engine stopped producing power. He was unable to land back on the water and collided with a tree adjacent to the shoreline. When the airplane was examined, water was found in the carburetor bowls and fuel lines. What appeared to be fuel tank material was also found in the fuel filter and main fuel tank. A review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records revealed the airplane had not been issued an FAA airworthiness certificate.
Aircraft
- Registration
- UNREG
- Reported as
- Eipper Quicksilver MXL II
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 000799
- Airframe hours
- 90
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Al Rowinski
- Registered owner
- None-Aircraft not registered
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Departed
- None · Goodrich, MI
- Destination
- None · Goodrich, MI
- Airport
- None
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- Minor
- Flight hours
- 110 total · 80 in this make and model · 1 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- FNT, 12 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 21, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 607 KB in all.