- Date
- August 18, 1990, 16:19 local (20:19 UTC)
- Place
- Howell, MI
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4547BCessna 180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 14, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900818033899A
- Case key
- 14547
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 pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance above terrain while maneuvering during takeoff. A factor in the accident was the pilot's attempt to display the aircraft's performance.
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
During preflight the airplane owner was approached by two visiting pilots, one of whom was interested in buying the same model. After a lengthy conversation, the owner started and taxied. The visitors radioed him and asked for a ride. The accident pilot consented and said he would come back for pickup after a turn around the pattern. The airplane took off and climbed steeply to a 100-foot level-off. At the end of the runway and 200 feet, the airplane turned right, opposite the traffic pattern, and circled back to runway heading, then increased bank to near 90 degrees and maintained it until out of sight of witnesses. The airplane lost altitude steadily for one half turn to ground contact where it dragged the right wing and cartwheeled. Angle of bank at impact was about 30 degrees and rate of descent was nil.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4547B
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31446
- Engine
- Continental O-470-K, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- R.W. Goff & Dwain Chatterton
- Airport
- 3HE · Livingston County
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
- 56
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 590 total · 472 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,300 ft broken
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LAN, 28 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.