Meyers 200A accident near Tecumseh, Michigan, April 2, 2001
On April 2, 2001 at about 12:40 pm local time, a Meyers 200A, registered N495C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tecumseh, Michigan (Al Meyers airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The fuel starvation. Factors were the loose line at the distribution valve, the inadequate annual inspection the owner/pilot mechanic performed, the unsuitable terrain the pilot encountered during the emergency landing after takeoff, and the trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 2001 · about 12:40 pm local time
- Place
- Tecumseh, Michigan · Al Meyers · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Meyers 200A
- Registration
- N495C · registry record · serial 259
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with trees and terrain during a forced landing following an in-flight loss of engine power on initial climb. A post impact fire occurred. The pilot reported no injuries. The pilot stated, "I had just completed an annual inspection on it. ... On Monday morning I drained the sumps did a full power run up and proceeded to take off on runway 36 for a local check flight. Everything seemed normal until just after I rotated and cycled the landing gear. A few seconds later I lost power. I switched on the boost pump not normally used for take off, to no avail. The stall warning horn activated and I came down in the trees off the north end of the airport. I had a fire originating from the fuel line to the distrabution valve on top of the engine. I exited the aircraft unhurt but neglected to turn off the master switch or the boost pump which was feeding the fire. ... It seems like I lost fuel pressure from the line at the distrabution valve which did not come off but was leaking. This caused the engine to quit."
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 711 hours in all; 478 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 565 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 14, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,803 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 7, 2001; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 0MI7 Tecumseh MI at 12:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,660 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from ADG, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.