Amateur-built HORIZON ONE accident near Owosso, Michigan, September 12, 1996
On September 12, 1996 at about 7:10 pm local time, a amateur-built HORIZON ONE, registered N1153X, was destroyed in an accident near Owosso, Michigan (Owosso Community airport). 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
the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control and airspeed. A factor was the pilot's lack of experience in type of aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 12, 1996 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Owosso, Michigan · Owosso Community · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built HORIZON ONE HORIZON ON
- Registration
- N1153X · no longer on the register · serial H044
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
This was the maiden flight for a experimental Horizon One airplane, after being built by the pilot/builder. On short final, the pilot slowed his airspeed to 60 mph (20 mph above stall speed), and selected 1/2 flaps. The pilot experienced a wind gust and lost forward airspeed and control of the airplane. The airplane impacted 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 160 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 12, 1996; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5D3 at 7:10 pm
- Destination: 5D3
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 3,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,000 ft; scat at 4,300 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Observation at 6:54 pm from FNT, 17 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.