- Date
- April 20, 2007, 09:45 local (13:45 UTC)
- Place
- Saginaw, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N1041ZJohnson-Whittman Tailwind JW9L
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 27, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20070420006549A
- Case key
- 65677
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's failure to maintain the proper glidepath and clearance from a fence while on final approach.
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 experimental amateur-built airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with a fence and terrain. The pilot suspected engine problems on takeoff and elected to return to the departure airport. The pilot's accident report stated, "Pilot has flown over the old 4' fence many times over in the last 20 years, but did not realize the new 6' fence was out of sight and at this distance the pilot needs to lower the tail for a 3 point landing." An examination of the wreckage revealed no pre-impact anomalies.
Factual narrative
The experimental amateur-built airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with a fence and terrain. The pilot suspected engine problems on takeoff and elected to return to the departure airport. The pilot's accident report stated, "Pilot has flown over the old 4' fence many times over in the last 20 years, but did not realize the new 6' fence was out of sight and at this distance the pilot needs to lower the tail for a 3 point landing." An examination of the wreckage revealed no pre-impact anomalies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1041Z
- Reported as
- Johnson-Whittman Tailwind JW9L
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- HYX · Saginaw, MI
- Destination
- 3BS · Midland, MI
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
- 79
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,568 total · 75 in this make and model · 1,464 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 0 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.29 inHg
- Observed at
- HYX
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.