- Date
- March 20, 1999, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lapeer, MI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N918VDelong Glastar GS-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 23, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990320046249A
- Case key
- 45958
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 failure of the pilot to maintain compensation for wind conditions. Factors to the accident were the crosswind condition and the presence of trees along the runway.
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
According to the pilot's written statement, the pilot 'experienced [wind] shear on short final to runway 27...' A weather report for a reporting station located 21 nautical miles and 253 degrees from the accident site reported winds from 200 degrees at 11 knots. According to the 1999 Michigan Airport Directory, the runway that was used has several groupings of trees along both sides of the runway. Post accident investigation revealed damage to the right wing, propeller, nose landing gear, and fuselage substructure. Further examination revealed no pre-existing anomalies.
Factual narrative
On March 20, 1999, at 1330 eastern standard time (est), an amateur-built Delong, Glastar GS-1, N918V, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain during landing on runway 27 (1900 feet by 150 feet, dry turf) at the Dupont-Lapeer Airport, Lapeer, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries to himself and his one passenger. The flight originated at the Dupont-Lapeer Airport for a local flight at 1100 est.
According to the pilot's written statement, the pilot "experienced [wind] shear on short final to runway 27..."
A weather report for a reporting station located 21 nautical miles and 253 degrees from the accident site reported winds from 200 degrees at 11 knots.
According to the 1999 Michigan Airport Directory, the runway that was used has several groupings of trees along both sides of the runway.
Post accident investigation revealed damage to the right wing, propeller, nose landing gear, and fuselage substructure. Further examination revealed no pre-existing anomalies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N918V
- Reported as
- Delong Glastar GS-1 (GLASTAR GS)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 5219
- Airframe hours
- 464
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1F6, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Roger W. Murray
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 15, 1998 · 85 hours before
- Departed
- D95
- Airport
- D95 · Dupont-Lapeer, runway 27, 1,900 × 150 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
- 63
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 220 total · 71 in this make and model · 79 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FNT, 21 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.