CHI94LA267

Factual narrative

On August 2, 1994, about 1800 eastern daylight time, a De Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth, N38KH, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing and subsequent nose over, following a aborted takeoff from the Green Lake Airport, Interlochen, Michigan. Neither the commercial pilot nor the sole passenger aboard the airplane were injured. No flight plan was filed, and visual meteorological conditions existed for the local personal flight. The pilot was attempting to takeoff on runway 34. The runway is 2100 X 200 feet. The runway is surrounded on all sides by 50 foot trees. The pilot stated the wind shifted 180 degrees and the airplane lost airspeed, right after takeoff. He said he tried to land on the runway before he reached the trees at the end of the runway. The airplane landed hard, broke the main landing gear, and nosed over. The recorded wind at the nearest reporting station, Traverse City, Michigan, was 050 degrees at 8 knots, recorded at 1745. Traverse City is 13 miles northeast of the accident site. THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 34. THE RUNWAY IS SURROUNDED ON ALL SIDES BY 50 FOOT TREES. HE STATED THAT RIGHT AFTER TAKEOFF, THE WIND SHIFTED 180 DEGREES AND THE AIRPLANE LOST AIRSPEED. HE TRIED TO LAND BACK ON THE RUNWAY BEFORE THE AIRPLANE HIT THE TREES AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE HIT HARD, BROKE THE LANDING GEAR, AND NOSED OVER. THE WIND AT THE NEAREST REPORTING STATION, 13 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, WAS 050 AT 8 KNOTS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12