- Date
- May 17, 1997, 22:25 local (May 18, 1997, 02:25 UTC)
- Place
- Flushing, MI
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N625EEPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report January 30, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970517010979A
- Case key
- 10568
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 misjudgment of distance and speed on final approach, his failure to attain the proper touchdown point for landing, and his delay in initiating a go-around (aborted landing). Factors related to the accident were: darkness, and the proximity of trees.
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 kept the airplane's altitude high on final approach at night due to trees at the end of the runway. When the airplane touched down, he could see that it was approaching the departure end of the runway. At that point, the pilot initiated an aborted landing; however, the airplane impacted trees off the departure end of the runway.
Factual narrative
On May 17, 1997, at 2225 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N625EE, operated by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage during an aborted landing, at Dalton Airport, near Flushing, Michigan, when it impacted trees and the terrain. The pilot received serious injuries. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in night visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The flight departed Flint, Michigan about 2200.
The pilot stated that when he approached the airport for landing he intentionally kept the airplane high on final approach because he was aware of trees on the approach end. He said that when the airplane touched down he could see the departure end of the runway coming up fast and realized that he would not be able to stop on the pavement. He said he aborted the landing and initiated a climb; however, the airplane impacted a tree off the departure end of the runway.
An eye witness gave a similar account of the accident as the pilot's statement. He said that he was not a pilot, but that on the approach he knew the airplane was high. He said on landing he could hear the sound of the tires sliding on the pavement. He said that he then heard the engine power increase and watched as the airplane began to climb and strike a tree.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N625EE
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-23294
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Charles D. Hunt
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 9G2 · Flint, MI
- Destination
- 3DA
- Airport
- 3DA · Dalton, runway 36, 2,510 × 50 ft, asphalt
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
- 38
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Unknown
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 306 total · 79 in this make and model · 26 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KFN, 6 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.