Pellston-Emmet County

The pilot reported that after a normal start and taxi, the airplane was cleared for takeoff. During the takeoff roll, the airplane drifted right and the pilot corrected with the left rudder. When the airplane reached 100 knots, he rotated the airplane, and about 30 feet in altitude, the airplane experienced a roll to the right. The pilot tried to correct the roll with left rudder but was unable to provide sufficient left rudder. At this point, the airplane had drifted to the right of the runway and over the adjacent parallel taxiway. He was able to regain partial control by reducing engine power and banking the airplane to the left. The pilot attempted to land on the taxiway but was unable to judge his height above ground due to the low visibility, and subsequently impacted terrain to the right of the taxiway. Both wings and the fuselage sustained substantial damage. Prior to exiting the airplane, the pilot noted that the rudder trim was set to the full nose-right position. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Prior to the accident, maintenance was completed that consisted of an “Event II & Routine” inspection. The inspection procedure required the rudder trim system to be lubricated, a trim tab free play inspection, and an operational check prior to returning the airplane to service. Review of the maintenance procedures revealed there was no guidance on returning the rudder trim control system back to a neutral position at completion of the inspection.

The pilot landed at the airport to refuel the airplane and pick up cargo. The pilot spoke with three employees of the fixed base operator who stated that he seemed alert and awake but wanted to make a "quick turn." After the airplane was fueled and the cargo was loaded, the pilot departed; the airplane crashed 1 minute later. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. An aircraft performance GPS and simulation study indicated that the airplane entered a right bank almost immediately after takeoff and then made a 42 degree right turn and that it was accelerating throughout the flight, from about 75 knots groundspeed shortly after liftoff to about 145 knots groundspeed at impact. The airplane was climbing about 500 to 700 feet per minute to a peak altitude of about 260 feet above the ground before descending. The simulation showed a gas generator speed of about 93 percent throughout the flight. The study indicated that the load factor vectors, which were the forces felt by the pilot, could have produced a somatogravic illusion of a climb, even while the airplane was descending. The postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the findings from the aircraft performance GPS and simulation study, the degraded visual reference conditions present about the time of the accident, and the forces felt by the pilot, it is likely that he experienced spatial disorientation, which led to his inadvertent controlled descent into terrain.

During arrival, the pilot reported a problem with his #1 nav, but said he would try to make an ILS approach. He said he would return to Pontiac, if his ILS did not work. ARTCC cleared him for the ILS runway 32 approach and instructed him to contact Pellston radio (FSS). At 1525, he called the FSS and reported he was 20 miles south. At approximately 1534, the FSS specialist heard an aircraft fly over, but did not know if it was N24RT. He asked the pilot if he was making a missed approach. The pilot gave a negative reply and reported he was picking up the glide slope, then said he was having trouble with his #1 nav. A witness about 6 miles north and west of the airport saw the aircraft on a northerly heading at about 200 feet agl. About one minute later, the aircraft collided with trees, crashed and burned approximately 8 miles from the airport at an approximately elevation of 900 feet. The airport elevation was 720 feet. The nav equipment was too badly damaged during the accident to be tested. According to the aircraft radio log, the last VOR check was on 9/10/83. The pilot had logged 5.4 hours of instrument time during the previous 6 months, but had not logged any approaches. All five occupants were killed.

On approach to Boyne Falls Airport, the pilot was unable to locate the runway and decided to divert to the alternate airport of Pellston-Emmet County. On final, he encountered poor weather conditions with fog and a visibility reduced to 3/8 of a mile. In a 200 feet ceiling, he failed to realize his altitude was too low when the brand new twin engine airplane struck trees and crashed two miles short of runway 32. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was below minimums.

The approach to Pellston-Emmet County was initiated in limited visibility due to clouds. On final, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck trees and crashed in flames few miles short of runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed, among them Walter Reuther, President of the American Union of Workers in the Automotive Industry.

A Douglas DC-3A, N410D, operated by and registered to Hansen Air Activities, crashed into an occupied house 7-1/2 miles west-northwest of the Chicago O'Hare International Airport at 2356 c.s.t., March 8, 1964. The copilot sustained fatal injuries and three of the 28 passengers received minor injuries. None of the six persons in the house were injured. The aircraft was damaged substantially. The crew was attempting an ILS approach to runway 14R in instrument flight conditions when turbulence was encountered, accompanied by a rapid accretion of airframe icing. The crew was unable to maintain directional stability or altitude, and abandoned the approach. After leaving the approach course, the aircraft continued to descend in an uncontrolled condition until it crashed.