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CHI88DEC07

1988-08-28 · GREGORY, Michigan, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 69G

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

FAILURE (AT FIRST PARTIAL, THEN TOTAL) OF THE AIRCRAFT'S POWERPLANT AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 100 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND DURING THE INITIAL CLIMBOUT WITH A GLIDER IN TOW; A FORCED LANDING ENSUED, DURING WHICH THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A FENCE, A SMALL TREE, AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE GLIDER RELEASED AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT.

Factual narrative

AS THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED THROUGH AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 100 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND WITH A GLIDER IN TOW, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH, AND THEN FAILED COMPLETELY. THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING IN A GRASSY, ROLLING FIELD, STRIKING A FENCE AND SMALL TREE BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND.THE GLIDER RELEASED AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE POWERPLANT, IT'S SYSTEMS AND ACCESSORIES REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION/DIFFICULTY. THE ENGINE PERFORMED SATISFACTORILY DURING A SUBSEQUENT RUN-UP. INVESTIGATORS DRAINED 7.5 GALLONS OF 80/87 OCTANE AVIATION FUEL FROM EACH OF TWO FUEL TANKS; THE AIRCRAFT HAS A 'NO TAKEOFF' VALUE OF 6.75 GALLONS OR LESS. THIS VALUE WAS ESTABLISHED BECAUSE OF THE POSITIONING OF THE FUEL TANK OUTLETS AND THE RESULTANT POSSIBILITY OF FUEL FLOW INTERRUPTION IN VARIOUS FLIGHT ATTITUDES. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1988_CHI88DEC07.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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