Amateur-built GLASAIR accident near Lansing, Michigan, February 11, 1991
On February 11, 1991 at about 8:15 pm local time, a amateur-built GLASAIR, registered N270KT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lansing, Michigan (Capital City airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI) TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED ON FINAL APPROACH TO FLARE THE AIRCRAFT FOR LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE LANDING GEAR MALFUNCTION, AND THE CFI'S IMPROPERLY PLANNED APPROACH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 11, 1991 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lansing, Michigan · Capital City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built GLASAIR
- Registration
- N270KT · no longer on the register · serial 3022
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE OWNER/PLT & AN INSTRUCTOR (CFI) WERE ON A FLT TO CHECKOUT THE OWNER IN THE ACFT. WHILE CYCLING THE LANDING GEAR IN FLT, THEY WERE UNABLE TO GET A SAFE DOWN-&-LOCKED INDCN BY USING THE NORMAL SYS. A DOWN-&-LOCKED INDCN WAS OBTAINED BY USING THE MANUAL SYS. THE CFI RECOMMENDED THAT DRG AN APCH FOR LANDING, THE ENGINE BE SHUT DOWN TO MINIMIZE DAMAGE TO THE ENG, IN THE EVENT THAT THE LANDING GEAR SHOULD COLLAPSE. THE OWNER AGREED, BUT SUGGESTED THAT THE CFI MAKE THE LANDING. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT. HE RPRTD THAT HE SHUT DOWN THE ENG WHEN THE ACFT WAS ABOUT 500' AGL 'OVER THE NUMBERS.' AN EXCESSIVE SINK RATE DEVELOPED, AND THE CFI TRIED TO FLARE THE ACFT FOR LANDING, BUT IT TOUCHED DOWN HARD. THE RGT MAIN GEAR LEG WAS JAMMED INTO THE WING, WHICH PIERCED A FUEL CELL & CREATED A FUEL LEAK. THE FUEL IGNITED DRG THE LANDING SKID & THE ACFT'S RGT SIDE WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED BY FIRE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,218 hours in all; 153 in this make and model; 96 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 1,076 as pilot in command; 107 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-S1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28L, 7,250 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:50 pm from LAN, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.