- Date
- May 25, 1996, 11:45 local (15:45 UTC)
- Place
- Charlotte, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N68EVMerlin GT
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 16, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960525011599I
- Case key
- 10258
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 airspeed. A factor was the pilot's lack of experience in the airplane.
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 was conducting his second flight in the amateur-built airplane. He stated that he attempted to go around; however, a loss of airspeed occurred. The right main landing gear impacted the terrain followed by the airplane turning around and the tail impacting the ground.
Factual narrative
On May 25, 1996, at 1145 eastern daylight time, an amateur built Merlin GT, N68EV, collided with terrain. The airplane was on the second flight when a go-around was attempted from an approach to runway 32 (2,318' x 100' dry/turf) at Fitch H. Beach Airport, near Charlotte, Michigan. The commercial pilot reported no injuries. There was no flight plan on file for the personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight. The flight was conducted in visual meteorological conditions. The flight departed at 1010.
The pilot stated that a gust of wind required him to attempt to go around instead of continuing the landing. He said he encountered a loss of airspeed and the right main landing gear impacted the ground. The airplane then turned around and the tail impacted the terrain.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N68EV
- Reported as
- Merlin GT
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 94036
- Airframe hours
- 2
- Engine
- Rotax 618, 74 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Richard E. Van Fossen
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- 07G
- Airport
- 07G · Fitch H Beach, runway 32, 2,318 × 100 ft, grass/turf
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
- 69
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,400 total · 1 in this make and model · 1,400 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LAN, 18 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.