CHI99LA249

Factual narrative

On July 23, 1999, at 1815 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, N95534, operated by Andrews University, was substantially damaged on impact with terrain following a go-around from runway 21 (2,075 feet by 200 feet, turf) at Andrews University Airpark (C20), Berrien Springs, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The certified flight instructor and dual student reported no injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was not operating on a flight plan. The local instrument training flight originated at approximately 1700. The student stated that he had selected 20 degrees of flaps on a base-to-final approach to runway 21. The student reported that the aircraft's airspeed was 70 knots on final approach. He further stated that at "a little further than" 1/4 down the runway, the instructor told him to execute a go-around. The student then stated that during the go-around, the instructor took control of the aircraft and initiated a left turn to avoid trees at the departure end of the runway. The student stated that during the go-around attempt, the flaps were retracted to the 10 degrees, but he was unsure if they were then retracted to the 0 degree position. In a written statement, the certified flight instructor reported the following. " I was returning from an instrument lesson with [the dual student] over Benton Harbor. He mentioned he would like some more practice landing on the grass field 21 sod. His approach looked very good. He decided to use 20 degrees of flaps due to crosswind. As we approached the runway we seemed to be in ground effect. I first told him we needed to get down and stopped because this was a shorter runway. Then I ask[ed] him to do a go around. I felt it was safer. [The dual student] cleaned up the plane correctly and added full power. It seemed to me we weren't getting the normal power. I double checked the carb heat in, full power and flaps were up. At that time I put my hands on the controls. We did about a 7 degree bank to left because we didn't have the power to climb over the trees. We kept the airspeed at Vx but we couldn't maintain the 40 feet we had just climbed. We slowly lost altitude and there was a small hill under us. Because of the lack of power we crashed near the cornfield. We were unable to get the climb rate the Cessna performance charts said we could for that day temp." At 1753, the Automated Surface Observing System at the Southwest Regional Airport, Benton Harbor, Michigan, reported an air temperature of 93 degrees F and a wind from 270 degrees at 7 knots. Inspection of the aircraft by the Federal Aviation Administration found the aircraft to be lying on a magnetic heading of approximately 160 degrees and 500-600 feet from the departure end of runway 21. Trees, which are approximately 85 feet in height with upsloping terrain, were noted at approximately 1,000 feet from the departure end of runway 21. A slash mark in the terrain was present 50 feet aft of the aircraft. The flaps were found in the 0 degree position. Flight control and engine control continuity was established. The throttle and mixture controls were in their forward positions. The engine was rotated and a thumb compression from all cylinders was obtained. Fuel was observed leaking from the wreckage. The magnetos were rotated and a spark from each lead was obtained. The instructional flight impacted terrain during a go-around from runway 21 (2,075 feet by 200 feet, turf). The final approach speed of the airplane was reported by the dual student to be 70 knots. He also reported that the go-around was executed 1/4 down the runway. The certified flight instructor reported, '...we seemed to be in ground effect...'. Upsloping terrain and trees, which were 85 feet in height, were present approximately 1,000 feet from the departure end of the runway. Inspection of the aircraft revealed no anomalies. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12