C.B. Withun T-BIRD II accident near New Haven, MI
On October 29, 1998, a C.B. Withun T-BIRD II (airplane) was involved in an accident near New Haven, MI. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- October 29, 1998
- Place
- New Haven, MI
- Aircraft
- C.B. Withun T-BIRD II · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 42.730°N, 82.790°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001211X11219
NTSB summary
On October 29, 1998, at 1400 eastern standard time (est), a C.B. Withun T-Bird II, N72145, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed during a collision with trees and the ground following an uncontrolled descent while flying a downwind leg for runway 36 at the Macomb Airport, New Haven, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot was fatally injured. The flight departed New Haven, Michigan, about 1355 est. A pilot flying in the pattern at the airport said he saw a red ultralight airplane taxiing on runway 18-36. The pilot said he heard the pilot of the red ultralight announce on the radio he was doing high speed taxi tests on the runway. The pilot said, "A few minutes later we heard the subject in the ultralight indicate he was departing runway 18." A witness said the airplane took off on runway 36 and made a low altitude left turn to what looked like a left downwind leg for that runway. He said the engine was still running when the turn was completed. He said the airplane "...started sinking going south over the trees and suddenly stalled and crashed into the trees." A third witness said "The ultralight climbed out slowly without gaining much altitude- he could have made a landing on [the] south runway... but went south... and dropped nose down into the tress." This witness said the engine was "screaming." Another witness said he "...saw the ultralight... [it] appeared to be very low but flying southbound... west of runway 18-36." The on-scene examination
Probable cause
the improper installation of the propeller by the owner/pilot- mechanic and the pilot not maintaining the airplane's airspeed while approaching the trees along the airplane's flight path. A factor in this accident was the stall encountered by the pilot.
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Browse: Michigan
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
