- Date
- June 4, 2004, 17:20 local (21:20 UTC)
- Place
- Blissfield, MI
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9401BCessna 175
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 3, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20040604013919I
- Case key
- 59382
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 pilot selected the wrong runway on which to land which resulted in exceeding the proper touchdown point during landing. Factors associated with the accident were the tailwind condition and the drainage ditch which the airplane contacted.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane nosed over during a landing overrun on the pilot's private airstrip. The pilot reported he was landing to the west on his 1,300 foot by 100 foot grass airstrip when the accident occurred. He stated there are high-tension power lines on the west end of the airstrip so if the winds are 5 knots or less, he lands to the west so he does not have to cross the lines on approach. The pilot stated the winds at his departure airport, 6 minutes away, were from 050 degrees at 6 knots. He stated he landed a bit further down the airstrip than normal and he attempted to ground loop the airplane when he realized he was not going to be able to stop. The pilot stated that due to the lack of friction because of the grass, he was unable to ground loop the airplane and it continued off the end of the airstrip. The airplane nosed over when it contacted a 6-foot deep drainage ditch.
Factual narrative
On June 4, 2004, at 1720 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 175, N9401B, nosed over during a landing overrun on the pilot's private airstrip in Blissfield, Michigan. The commercial rated pilot received minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated from the Lenawee County Airport (ADG), Adrian, Michigan, at 1715.
The pilot reported he was landing to the west on his 1,300 foot by 100 foot grass airstrip when the accident occurred. He stated there are high-tension power lines on the west end of the airstrip so if the winds are 5 knots or less, he lands to the west so he does not have to cross the lines on approach. The pilot stated the winds at his departure airport, 6 minutes away, were from 050 degrees at 6 knots. He stated he landed a bit further down the airstrip than normal and he attempted to ground loop the airplane when he realized he was not going to be able to stop. The pilot stated that due to the lack of friction because of the grass, he was unable to ground loop the airplane and it continued off the end of the airstrip. The airplane nosed over when it contacted a 6-foot deep drainage ditch.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9401B
- Reported as
- Cessna 175
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 55201
- Airframe hours
- 3,350
- Engine
- Franklin 6A-350-C2, 220 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- James E. Thompson
- Registered owner
- JT Engineering, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 22, 2003 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- ADG · Adrian, MI
- Destination
- PVT · Blissfield, MI
- Airport
- runway 27, 1,300 × 100 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- March 29, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,035 total · 500 in this make and model · 2,995 as pilot in command · 36 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.