- Date
- July 1, 1994, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Flint, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N815MCCessna 441
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 14, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940701017239A
- Case key
- 9591
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
An inadequate preflight inspection of the airplane by the pilot. Factors associated with this accident were unlatched nose cargo doors and the pilot's failure to extend the landing gear.
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 pilot said the airplane's nose baggage doors opened shortly after liftoff. He said he retarded the power levers and landed the airplane gear up. A witness said the landing gear was retracted as soon as the airplane lifted off the runway. The witness observed the airplane's nose baggage doors open shortly after lift off.
Factual narrative
On July 1, 1994, at 1300 eastern standard time, a Cessna 441, N815MC, registered to Rico Marketing of Flint, Michigan, and piloted by an airline transport rated pilot, was substantially damaged when it collided with the ground during an aborted takeoff on runway 27 (7,200' X 150' dry concrete) at the Bishop International Airport, Flint, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 positioning flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot was the only occupant in the airplane and reported no injuries. The flight was originating from Flint, Michigan, when the accident occurred.
The pilot's written statement indicates he "...experienced a substantial power loss..." during takeoff and he "...elected to put the aircraft back on the runway... ." The pilot said that "... time was insufficient to extend the landing gear." During an interview the pilot stated that both lefthand baggage doors opened as the airplane lifted off the runway. He said he reduced power and landed the airplane with the landing gear retracted.
The airplane's owner said that he would park the airplane in the hangar with the baggage doors unlatched. He said he did this to keep from having to unlatch the doors during preflights.
One witness stated he observed the airplane liftoff the runway followed by an immediate gear retraction and the baggage doors opening. He said that shortly after the doors opened he heard the engine sound stop and saw the airplane descend to the runway.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N815MC
- Reported as
- Cessna 441
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 441-0263
- Engine
- Garrett TPE331-10, 800 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Rico Marketing
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Destination
- GRR · Grand Rapids, MI
- Airport
- FNT · Bishop International, runway 27, 7,200 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 68
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 12,150 total · 550 in this make and model · 25 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
- Observed at
- FNT, 1 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.