Dassault/Sud Fan Jet Falcon accident near Detroit, Michigan, August 28, 2001
On August 28, 2001 at about 10:05 pm local time, a Dassault/Sud Fan Jet Falcon, registered N617GA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Detroit, Michigan (Detroit City airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The wheels up landing performed by the flightcrew during the emergency landing and improper aircraft preflight by the pilot in command. Factors were the unsecured cargo door, the cemetery fence, and the lack of crew coordination during the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 2001 · about 10:05 pm local time
- Place
- Detroit, Michigan · Detroit City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dassault/Sud Fan Jet Falcon · all Fan Jet Falcons on the register
- Registration
- N617GA · no longer on the register · serial 88
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain and objects after traveling off the end of the runway during a main wheels up landing. The captain reported that prior to takeoff, he closed the cargo door and the copilot confirmed the door light was out. After takeoff at an altitude of about 600 feet, the cockpit door popped open and the crew noticed the cargo door was open. The captain elected to return to land. The captain reported he requested repeatedly for gear and flaps extension, but the copilot was late in doing so and it "caused us to overshoot the runway centerline." The copilot then began calling for a go around/missed approach at which time he raised the gear and the retracted some of the flaps. The copilot reported the captain continued to descend toward the runway and overshot the runway centerline to the right. The copilot reported that at this time he lowered the gear. The nose gear extended prior to touchdown, however the main gear did not. The airplane touched down approximately 1/2 way down the runway and traveled off the end. A witness reported noticing that the exterior door latch was not down as the airplane taxied to the runway.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 24,000 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 14,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 16, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 131 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 2,520 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 5, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,282.6 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 12, 2000; 518 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 28,660 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: General Electric CF700-2D-2 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric CF700-2D-2 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DET Detroit MI at 10:00 pm
- Destination: RFD Rockford IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 33, 5,090 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from DET, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N617GA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI01LA296.