# NTSB CHI89DEC01: Experimental Barracuda, N48DS, Ypsilanti, MI, October 17, 1988

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Final report
- Date: October 16, 1988, 20:05 local (Oct 17, 1988, 00:05 UTC)
- Place: Ypsilanti, MI
- Coordinates: 42.23928, -83.620841 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.2393&lon=-83.6208&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 25, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 14174
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI89DEC01
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/14174/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI89DEC01

## Probable cause

PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING LANDING AND INABILITY TO APPROPRIATELY CORRECT FOR THE PORPOISE ACTION OF THE AIRCRAFT.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - roll
  - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - aborted landing - attempted, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- Main gear collapsed, landing - roll
  - landing gear,main gear - overload
  - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of total experience in type operation, pilot in command (contributing factor)

## Analysis

WHILE ENROUTE TO LANSING, MICHIGAN (LAN) THE PILOT OF THIS AMATEUR BUILT BARRACUDA WAS FORCED TO DEVIATE TO YPSILANTI'S WILLOW RUN AIRPORT (YIP), DUE TO THUNDERSTORMS ON THE FLIGHT PATH. ON LANDING, HE EXPERIENCED A HARD TOUCHDOWN AND THE ACFT BEGAN TO PORPOISE. WHILE ATTEMPTING A GO-AROUND, THE ACFT HIT HARD AGAIN, DRIVING THE MAIN GEAR THROUGH THE WINGS.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N48DS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N48DS-2014-11-26), registration cancelled 2014-11-26, S/N 216 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: EXPERIMENTAL BARRACUDA
- Registry model: [Stiles Charles R BARRACUDA](https://openairdocs.org/model/stiles-charles-r-barracuda) (registry code 05613K2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 216
- Airframe hours: 850
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-A1A 200 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Charles R. Stiles
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, November 19, 1987, 90 hours before
- Departed: IND, INDIANAPOLIS, IN
- Destination: YIP, YPSILANTI, MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: YIP, Willow Run, runway 23, 7,526 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 60; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 1,500 total, 850 in this make and model, 1,300 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 230° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 800 ft broken
- Temperature: -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: YIP

## 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 19881016050089A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19881016050089A), Oct 16, 1988: Amtrjf BARRACUDA, Detroit, MI, Substantial damage. Porpoised on landing, applied power to go around but hit runway nose first, bending prop and driving gear thru wing

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.