- Date
- October 23, 1987, 03:32 local (07:32 UTC)
- Place
- Oshtemo Townshp, MI
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N554ACSmith, Ted Aerostar Aerostar 600
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Status
- Completed · report December 27, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19871023061829A
- Case key
- 13923
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
The aircraft was at cruise altitude (9,000 feet) for approximately 20 minutes when the pilot reported the loss of right engine power. Chicago ARTCC reported the closest airport was kalamazoo, 28 miles west. The aircraft began to descend and at 0330:53 chicago ARTCC reported N554AC was approximately 6 miles from kalamazoo airport. The pilot reported 'my right engine cowling is gone...I don't know if I'm going to make it.' Witnesses observed the aircraft at 'tree top level' and impact in a heavily wooded area near interstate 94, 5 miles from the airport. Investigation revealed improperweld repairs to the right engine case and separation of the number 2 cylinder from the case due to fatigue cracking in the through bolts and studs. The top section of the engine cowling separated due to the force of the cylinder separation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N554AC
- Reported as
- Smith, Ted Aerostar Aerostar 600 (AEROSTAR 6)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 60002960
- Airframe hours
- 14,254
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1J5, 290 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Air Continental Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · October 13, 1987 · 33 hours before
- Departed
- MKE · Milwaukee, WI
- Destination
- CLV · Cleveland, OH
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- AZO · Kalamazoo
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
- 47
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 3,290 total · 101 in this make and model · 173 in the last 90 days · 26 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Wind
- 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 34 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SBN, 45 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.