Universal D-16 accident near Howell, Michigan, September 25, 1997
On September 25, 1997 at about 3:47 pm local time, a Universal D-16, registered N110N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Howell, Michigan (Livingston County 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
the emergency landing gear extension system being impeded by flap extension. Factors contributing to this accident are the instructor pilot's intentional feathering of the airplane's left propeller, the instructor pilot's lack of familiarity with the airplane, and insufficient information provided in the pilot's operating handbook warning the operator that extending flaps during emergency gear extension will interrupt hydraulic pressure to the system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 25, 1997 · about 3:47 pm local time
- Place
- Howell, Michigan · Livingston County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Universal D-16
- Registration
- N110N · registry record · serial TTN-40
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instructor pilot had shut down and secured the airplane's left engine as part of a final checkout flight he was giving to a student, prior to her taking her practical test for a multi-engine rating. During the restart attempt, the propeller did not come out of feather, and the engine would not start. The instructor pilot had to manually extend the landing gear, because the hydraulic pump for the gear was on the left engine. They did not get the three green lights, indicating that the airplane's gear was down and locked. The pilot performed a fly-by during which he was informed that the gear appeared to be down. By the time the instructor pilot and student received this information, they were too far down the runway to land, so they executed a go-around. The instructor pilot then took control of the airplane and brought it in for landing. During the touchdown, the landing gear collapsed. Examination of the emergency landing gear extension system revealed that whenever flaps are selected during the hand pumping process, hydraulic pressure to the emergency landing gear system is interrupted, leaving the gear in an intermediate position. Hydraulic pressure is restored once flap extension/retraction is complete.
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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,498 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 133 in the last 90 days; 53 in the last 30 days; 11,038 as pilot in command; 6,778 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,459 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 10, 1996; 134 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Y47 New Hudson MI at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 4,300 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from DTW, 38 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.