Amateur-built FALCON X P accident near St. Charles, Michigan, April 18, 1991
On April 18, 1991 at about 11:43 pm local time, a amateur-built FALCON X P, registered N747AA, was destroyed in an accident near St. Charles, Michigan. 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
A RESULT OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND NOT MAINTAINING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE GO AROUND MANEUVER. FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE AND FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 18, 1991 · about 11:43 pm local time
- Place
- St. Charles, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built FALCON X P
- Registration
- N747AA · no longer on the register · serial 600145
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT PILOT RECENTLY PURCHASED THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE AND HAD ASSEMBLED IT ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED HE 'WANTED TO ENSURE THAT THE MOTOR WAS IN WORKING ORDER AND THAT ALL THE MOVING PARTS WERE SECURELY ON.' HE STATED HE TAXIED UP AND DOWN A RUNWAY TWO TIMES AND, DURING THE THIRD TAXI RUN, THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE DUE TO GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS. THE PILOT STATED HE MADE TWO UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO LAND. DURING HIS THIRD LANDING ATTEMPT THE WIND BLEW THE AIRPLANE TOWARD TREES WHICH LINED THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT HE ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB OVER THE TREES. DURING THIS MANEUVER THE PILOT STATED THE NOSEWHEEL STRUCK THE TREE TOPS AND THE AIRPLANE CRASHED. THE PILOT STATED HE HAD NO INTENTION TO FLY BECAUSE HE HAD NOT RECEIVED A CHECKOUT IN THE AIRPLANE AND HE HASN'T 'HAD ANY EXPERIENCE LANDING' BY HIMSELF.
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: 26 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 08 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 15,000 ft; not recorded at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:53 pm from MBS, 15 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.