Howard Aircraft Corp. TIERRA II accident near Cambridge Jct, Michigan, June 23, 1991
On June 23, 1991 at about 10:35 pm local time, a Howard Aircraft Corp. TIERRA II, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N351R, was destroyed in an accident near Cambridge Jct, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
ENTANGLEMENT OF THE EMERGENCY BALLISTIC PARACHUTE WITH THE AIRPLANE'S PROPELLER SHAFT AFTER IT DEPLOYED FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE AIRCRAFT'S WEIGHT AND BALANCE LIMIT WAS EXCEEDED BY THE PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 1991 · about 10:35 pm local time
- Place
- Cambridge Jct, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Howard Aircraft Corp. TIERRA II, amateur-built
- Registration
- N351R · no longer on the register · serial 3601534
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED FLYING APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET AGL WHEN IT BEGAN A LEFT HAND TURN. WITNESSES STATED THAT DURING THIS TURN, THE ENGINE SEEMED TO LOSE POWER, THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO DESCEND, AND THE BALLISTIC PARACHUTE DEPLOYED. THE AIRPLANE THEN DESCENDED INTO TREES WITH A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. AN ON SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PARACHUTE SHROUD LINE, WHICH WAS ATTACHED TO THE WING'S MAIN SPAR, HAD ENTANGLED ITSELF AROUND THE PUSHER ENGINE'S PROPELLER SHAFT. A WEIGHT AND BALANCE CALCULATION REVEALED THE AIRPLANE WAS APROXIMATELY 200 POUNDS ABOVE ITS GROSS WEIGHT LIMIT, AND ITS CENTER OF GRAVITY WAS .4 OF AN INCH FORWARD OF THE FORWARD LIMIT. THE PARACHUTE WAS PAST DUE FOR ITS TWO YEAR INSPECTION.
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: student
- Flight time: 175 hours in all; 147 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax BOMBARDIER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 83G Onsted MI at 11:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from JXN, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.