- Date
- September 18, 1989, 10:40 local (15:40 UTC)
- Place
- Smith Creek, MI
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N46WWWesley Striplin Ranger
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890918035299A
- Case key
- 14181
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 improper installation of the wingtip fuel tank which resulted in its inflight separation and the subsequent loss of control.
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
Witnesses reported seeing something hanging from the left wing of the airplane along with fuel coming from the left wing. Shortly thereafter, the airplane entered a left diving turn and impacted the terrain in a steep nose down attitude. Examination revealed the left wingtip fuel tank was missing and it was not located. The left wing inboard tank was located approximately 100 ft from the main wreckage. Three flight hours prior to the accident, the left aileron was repaired due to delamination of the skin. The kit manufacturer stated the wingtip tanks should be attached with 6 screws, large washers and nut plates. Reportedly, the wingtip tanks were attached with 4 screws and nut plates with no washers.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N46WW
- Reported as
- Wesley Striplin Ranger (STRIPLIN R)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 87047
- Engine
- Rotax 532LC, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William W. Wesley, Sr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- PHN · Port Huron, MI
- Destination
- PHN · Port Huron, 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
- 71
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,280 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 1 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.