Amateur-built Z-MAX accident near Manchester, Michigan, September 13, 1992
On September 13, 1992 at about 5:08 pm local time, a amateur-built Z-MAX, registered UNREG, was destroyed in an accident near Manchester, Michigan (Private Grass Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN INADEQUATE DESIGN OF THE RUDDER CONTROL SYSTEM BY THE PILOT/BUILDER OF THE AIRPLANE, A PULLUP PERFORMED BY THE PILOT, AND A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE RUDDER FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 1992 · about 5:08 pm local time
- Place
- Manchester, Michigan · Private Grass Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Z-MAX
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE MID-WING CONFIGURED EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED FLYING CLOSE TO THE RUNWAY SURFACE. WITNESSES REPORTED THE AIRPLANE EXECUTED A STEEP CLIMBING 360 DEGREE TURN TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRPLANE STALLED AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE TURN AND DESCENDED INTO TREES ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE BUILDER OF THE AIRPLANE WAS ALSO THE PILOT. THE BUILDER HAD DEVIATED FROM THE DESIGNER'S PLANS AND MODIFIED THE RUDDER CONTROL SYSTEM. THE RESULT OF THE MODIFICATION WAS A LEFT RUDDER CABLE FAILURE DUE TO CHAFING AND OVERLOAD. THE BUILDER HAD ALSO INSTALLED AN ENGINE WHICH HAD 25 HORSEPOWER (HP) MORE THAN ALLOWED BY THE DESIGNER. THE DESIGNER STATED AN AIRPLANE WITH 65 HP WOULD PERFORM TOO STEEP A CLIMB FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON. THIS, HE STATED, WOULD CAUSE THE PILOT TO LOSE REFERENCE WITH THE HORIZON DUE TO THE AIRPLANE'S MID-WING CONFIGURATION. THE DESIGNER ALSO STATED THE MID-WING CONFIGURATION DOES NOT BLOCK AIRFLOW OVER THE ELEVATOR UNLESS IN A STALL, AT WHICH POINT THE TURBULENT AIR WOULD PASS OVER THE ELEVATOR.
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: 45 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 24 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 27 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Arrow GT 500 RA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M151 Clinton MI at 6:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 600 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:20 pm from YIP, 28 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.
Other NTSB records under UNREG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.