# NTSB CHI79FEC25: Rower Aero Bipe, N3987A, Sandusky, MI, May 9, 1979

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Closed
- Date: May 9, 1979
- Place: Sandusky, MI · SANDUSKY, MI
- Location: 43.4202° N, 82.8330° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Sandusky, MI, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.4202&lon=-82.8330&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 21, 1979
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 135998
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI79FEC25
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI79FEC25

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0839   79/5/9    SANDUSKY,MI         ROWER AERO BIPE     CR-  0  0  1  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE UNK/NR, 400
        TIME - 0830                    N3987A              PX-  0  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, 1 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL  OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - SANDUSKY CITY
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          SANDUSKY,MI                 FLUSHING,MI
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           ENGINE FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION                            IN FLIGHT: NORMAL CRUISE
           NOSE OVER/DOWN                                           LANDING: LEVEL OFF/TOUCHDOWN
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION AND/OR PLANNING
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - WATER IN FUEL
           TERRAIN - WET,SOFT GROUND
        PARTIAL POWER LOSS - PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER - 1 ENGINE
        EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES - FORCED LANDING OFF AIRPORT ON LAND
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N3987A](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3987A), registered now, S/N 001 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROWER AERO BIPE
- Registry model: [Rower AERO-BIPE](https://openairdocs.org/model/rower-aero-bipe) (registry code 05601ZE) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental A&C75 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c75-series) (registry code 17005, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Airport: Sandusky City

## 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 19790509009639A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790509009639A), May 9, 1979: Amtr AEROBIPE, Sandusky, MI, Substantial damage. Engine stopped due to water in fuel. Airplane flipped over during emergency landing in muddy field.

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.