# NTSB CHI04LA065: Cessna 402B, N6387X, Sturgis, MI, February 9, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 9, 2004, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Sturgis, MI - Coordinates: 41.812778, -85.439163 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.8128&lon=-85.4392&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report September 1, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 58736 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI04LA065 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58736/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI04LA065 ## Probable cause The failure to maintain obstacle clearance during an intentional low altitude maneuver and the ostentatious display by the pilot-in-command. A factor to the accident was the tree. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, maneuvering - low altitude flight/maneuver - intentional, pilot in command (cause) - ostentatious display, pilot in command (cause) - clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - object - tree(s) (contributing factor) - shoulder harness - not used, pilot in command - shoulder harness - not used, pilot passenger - Forced landing, emergency landing ## Analysis The airplane sustained substantial damage when it impacted a tree during low altitude maneuvering. The pilot-in-command decided to over fly a friend's house. The pilot-in-command executed a steep left turn for 360 degrees and leveled the airplane just above the tree line. The pilot saw a large pine tree about 30 feet ahead of the airplane. The pilot-in-command began to pull up on the airplane but it impacted the tree causing serious injuries to the pilot. The pilot rated passenger took control of the airplane and landed without further incident. The pilot rated passenger reported that neither he nor the pilot-in-command were using their shoulder harnesses at the time of the accident. ## Factual narrative On February 9, 2004, at 1530 eastern standard time, a Cessna 402B, N6387X, sustained substantial damage when it impacted a tree during low altitude maneuvering near Sturgis, Michigan. The pilot rated passenger took control of the airplane and landed without further incident at the Kirsch Municipal Airport (IRS), Sturgis, Michigan. The commercial pilot sustained serious injuries, and the pilot rated passenger received minor injuries. The flight was operated under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight originated from Battle Creek, Michigan, at 1510 and was en route to IRS. The pilot rated passenger reported that the airplane was about 5 miles north of IRS when the pilot-in-command said that he wanted to fly over a friend's house. The airplane was on a southerly heading and the house was to the left to of the airplane. The pilot-in-command executed a steep left turn for 360 degrees and leveled the airplane just above the tree line. The pilot rated passenger stated that he remembers the pilot-in-command said something like, "This is low." According to the pilot rated passenger, he remembers the pilot responding, "I think someone is home." The pilot rated passenger stated that he and the pilot both looked forward and saw a large pine tree 30 feet ahead of the airplane. The pilot rated passenger reported that the pilot-in-command began to pull up, but it was too late. According to the pilot rated passenger, the airplane struck the pine tree at 170-180 knots. The impact shattered the pilot side window and the left forward baggage door came open. The pilot-in-command remained conscious, but was bleeding from the head area. The pilot rated passenger took control of the airplane and landed without further incident at IRS. The pilot rated passenger reported that neither he nor the pilot-in-command were using their shoulder harnesses at the time of the accident. The Federal Aviation Administration's Advisory Circular (AC) number 91-65, "Use Of Shoulder Harness In Passenger Seats," was released on August 4, 1986. In the AC it is reported that the National Transportation Safety Board examined 500 relatively severe general aviation airplane accidents to determine what proportion of the occupants would have benefited from the use of shoulder harnesses. The AC states, "The [national transportation] safety board found that 20 percent of the fatally-injured occupants in these accidents could have survived with shoulder harnesses (assuming the seat belt was fastened) and 88 percent of the seriously injured could have had significantly less severe injuries with the use of shoulder harnesses." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6387X](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6387X), registered now, S/N 402B1350, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 402B - Registry model: [Cessna 402B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-402b) (registry code 207590P) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1350 - Airframe hours: 7792 - Engines: Continental TSIO-520 300 horsepower reciprocating; Continental TSIO-520 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, February 2, 2004, 7.9 hours before - Departed: KBTL, Sturgis, MI - Destination: KIRS, Sturgis, MI - Airport: IRS, Kirsch Muni, runway 24, 3,421 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 30; injuries: serious; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review July 14, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 2,400 total, 120 in this make and model, 2,300 as pilot in command, 120 in the last 90 days, 42 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours - Other flight crew; age 29; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review July 14, 2003; seat: rear; flight hours: 2,096 total, 106 in this make and model, 2,034 as pilot in command, 78 in the last 90 days, 48 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 13 knots, gusting 20 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,200 ft broken - Temperature: 30 °F, dew point 27 °F - Altimeter: 30.10 inHg - Observed at: KIRS, 5 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20040209001309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040209001309A), Feb 9, 2004: Cessna 402B, Sturgis, MI, Substantial damage. (-23) On 02/09/04, N6387X, owned and operated by riley aviation, inc. was chartered under FAA part 135 to fly freight from piqua, oh to battle creek, MI (btl).… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.