- Date
- July 4, 1987, 19:03 local (23:03 UTC)
- Place
- Pontiac, MI
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N9011SBeech S35
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870704032059A
- Case key
- 13548
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
Acft was making a low pass about 200 ft AGL over rwy 27L to allow ATCT personnel to inspect landing gear position after reporting landing gear difficulties. After twr personnel informed the plt that the gear appeared to be down, the plt requested to land on rwy 09L. As the acft passed abeam of the ATCT, witnesses said the engine stopped. The acft then made a sharp turn to the right, toward rwy 09L, appeared to stall, and descended to the ground. Inspection of the enginedid not reveal any malfunctions. Approx 2,200 feet of rwy 27L remaining, if pilot had elected to land straight-ahead after power loss. Eight gallons fuel remaining in left wing; right wing fuel tank damaged and leaking post-crash. Fuel selector on left main tank.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9011S
- Reported as
- Beech S35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D7942
- Airframe hours
- 1,251
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-B, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Gary L Smith
- Registered owner
- Smity, Gary L
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 20, 1986 · 55 hours before
- Departed
- TVC · Traverse City, MI
- Destination
- PTK · Pontiac, MI
- Airport
- PTK · Oakland/Pontiac Airport, runway 9L, 3,250 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 49
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,062 total · 140 in this make and model · 958 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PTK, 1 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.