CHI06LA023

Factual narrative

On October 29, 2005, about 1320 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built McClintock Glasair SH-2, N165WM, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed on impact with terrain while landing at the St. Clair County International Airport, near Port Huron, Michigan. A post impact fire occurred. The personal flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file. The pilot sustained serious injuries and was hospitalized. The local flight originated at time unknown. A witness stated: When I came out of the hanger I saw the plane coming down with the wings horizontal to the ground with the left wing pointing down. The left wing hit the ground first forcing the plane to nose dive, when the front end hit the ground the plane flattened out and landed on its bottom, then slid about 100 ft and started on fire. A St. Clair County Sheriff's Deputy interviewed the pilot after the accident. The record of interview, in part, stated: In speaking with him briefly, [the pilot] was only able to say that he was involved in an accident while landing. When asked if there was some sort of equipment malfunction or if he knew what the cause of the accident was, he stated it was not an equipment malfunction, that he has had a new propeller installed and has a lower pitch, therefore he had to up the RPM'S for the landing and at that point lost control and hit the ground and rolled. He was unable to provide anymore information reference the crash besides that information. The experimental amateur-built airplane was destroyed on impact with terrain while landing. A post impact fire occurred. A Sheriff's interview stated, "When asked if there was some sort of equipment malfunction or if he knew what the cause of the accident was, [the pilot] stated it was not an equipment malfunction, that he has had a new propeller installed that has a lower pitch, therefore he had to up the RPM'S for the landing and at that point lost control and hit the ground and rolled." Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12