# NTSB CHI90DEM09: Comben Bowers Flybaby IA, N1175B, Cheboygan, MI, September 13, 1990

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Final report
- Date: September 13, 1990, 14:25 local (18:25 UTC)
- Place: Cheboygan, MI
- Coordinates: 45.63972, -84.460121 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.6397&lon=-84.4601&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Unknown](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/990) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report July 2, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 14473
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI90DEM09
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/14473/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI90DEM09

## Probable cause

UNDETERMINED.

## Sequence of events

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

- In flight collision with terrain/water, unknown
  - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause)

## Analysis

THE HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN IN A WOODED AREA. THE WRECKAGE HAD BEEN REMOVED AND TRANSPORTED TO AN UNKNOWN LOCATION. PHOTOGRAPHS INDICATE THAT THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A STEEP NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE. THE PILOT'S LAST FLIGHT PHYSICAL WAS MORE THAN 11 YEARS AGO. NO AUTOPSY.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N1175B](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1175B-1991-04-01), registration cancelled 1991-04-01, S/N 721 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: COMBEN BOWERS FLYBABY IA (BOWERS FLY)
- Registry model: [Comben George D BOWERS FLY BABY I-A](https://openairdocs.org/model/comben-george-d-bowers-fly-baby-i-a) (registry code 1410196) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 72-1
- Engines: CONTINENTAL 65-8 65 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: C.A. Rayon
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: AAIP, September 5, 1990, 1 hours before
- Departed: Y30
- Airport: Y30, Pbeaaye

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 69; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: expired; seat: center

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none

## 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 19900913039659A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900913039659A), Sep 13, 1990: Amtrbw FLYBABY1, Topinabee, MI, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Impacted trees near vertically on local flight. No witnesses. Pilots last medical was more than eleven years prior

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.