Discuss Detroit » Archives - Beginning January 2007 » Plane Crashes Within the City Limits « Previous Next »
Top of pageBottom of page

Harsensis
Member
Username: Harsensis

Post Number: 151
Registered: 07-2005
Posted on Monday, January 29, 2007 - 12:20 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I know that a plane crashed at the foot of Ashland where there are newer houses that don't match the surrounding area, but I also recall hearing about another plane crash on Mound Road. Can anyone remember that one? I remember reading about it, but I don't remember the details. I'm not talking about the Northwest crash, because we had a long thread on that one. That's why I put Within the City limits.
Top of pageBottom of page

Al_t_publican
Member
Username: Al_t_publican

Post Number: 138
Registered: 06-2004
Posted on Monday, January 29, 2007 - 1:46 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

A British RAF jet crashed in the '50s during a air show with debris falling in the Jefferson-Chalmers area. Not to many years ago someone reported finding small pieces of the in said area.

The type aircraft slips me; possibly a Dehavilland(sp) delta wing fighter-bomber.

You might check at the website 'professional pilot rumor network' or pprune.org

p.s. Are you from Harsens Island? I learned to swim on Russell Island where my father had a cottage. In winter we used to park at the Grand Point Cut and walk across the ice to Russell Island.
Top of pageBottom of page

Ookpik
Member
Username: Ookpik

Post Number: 14
Registered: 01-2007
Posted on Monday, January 29, 2007 - 7:01 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

According to the Grosse Ile Naval Air Station web site the plane was a RAF Vulcan Jet Bomber. The crash happened on October 24, 1958.

http://nasgi.org/raf.htm

I can think of two other plane crashes. One was a DC-3 that crashed on the Eastside taking out several houses. Another was a Budd Conestoga that crashed in a field. Both crashes were in the late 1940's.

Ookpik
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikeg
Member
Username: Mikeg

Post Number: 510
Registered: 12-2005
Posted on Monday, January 29, 2007 - 7:10 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

While not technically within the city limits, a plane that took off from Detroit City Airport in January of 1963 failed to gain altitude and crashed in a backyard on Jewett St. near 9 1/2 Mile and Van Dyke, killing all three passengers.
Top of pageBottom of page

Gary
Member
Username: Gary

Post Number: 204
Registered: 02-2004
Posted on Monday, January 29, 2007 - 7:33 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Didn't a plane taking off from City Airport crash into the cemetery across the street a few years ago?
Top of pageBottom of page

Dds
Member
Username: Dds

Post Number: 114
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Monday, January 29, 2007 - 8:59 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

There's an extensive discussion of the crash on the eastside and the area here, including pix.

(Message edited by dds on January 29, 2007)
Top of pageBottom of page

Walterwaves
Member
Username: Walterwaves

Post Number: 49
Registered: 01-2007
Posted on Monday, January 29, 2007 - 10:03 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

back in the 70's a small plane crashed in the parking lot of the old packard plant on east grand blvd.
Right next door to the old Farmer Jack supermarket.
Top of pageBottom of page

Swingline
Member
Username: Swingline

Post Number: 683
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Monday, January 29, 2007 - 10:30 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

About ten years ago, a small cargo plane crashed upon takeoff from City Airport. Ended up not too far from north end of main runway inside Mt. Olivet cemetery. Two fatalities. I don't recall the cause. I think it was engine failure and not because of weather.
Top of pageBottom of page

Ray1936
Member
Username: Ray1936

Post Number: 1090
Registered: 01-2005
Posted on Monday, January 29, 2007 - 1:07 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

There was also a mid-air collision between a twin engine Beech and a DPD Bell helicopter back about 1979 or so. Chopper went down in the Detroit river, killing the two officers, while the Beech landed safely at City Airport.
Top of pageBottom of page

Caldogven
Member
Username: Caldogven

Post Number: 16
Registered: 05-2006
Posted on Monday, January 29, 2007 - 6:02 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Ookpik- I remember the DC-3 crash it came down just off of Gratiot across from Peter's Funeral home. I also remember a WWII fighter coming down in a small school yard off of McDougall just below Gratiot, might have been in 1946-47.
Top of pageBottom of page

Harsensis
Member
Username: Harsensis

Post Number: 153
Registered: 07-2005
Posted on Monday, January 29, 2007 - 6:15 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Reading al of these reminded me of a single engine plane that crashed on a playground in Detroit about 10 years ago. The plane crossed the border early Sunday morning from Mexico and was followed by the government all the way to Detroit where it ran out of fuel and went down on the playground. The plane was trying to make it to Canada.
Top of pageBottom of page

Toolbox
Member
Username: Toolbox

Post Number: 1028
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Monday, January 29, 2007 - 6:17 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

quote:

Harsensis

Reading al of these reminded me of a single engine plane that crashed on a playground in Detroit about 10 years ago. The plane crossed the border early Sunday morning from Mexico and was followed by the government all the way to Detroit where it ran out of fuel and went down on the playground.



That was at 96 and Greenfield or Schaefer.
Top of pageBottom of page

Ookpik
Member
Username: Ookpik

Post Number: 18
Registered: 01-2007
Posted on Monday, January 29, 2007 - 7:12 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Here is the front page of the Detroit News when the DC-3 crashed. The date was November 19, 1949.


Crash


A larger view:

http://www.geocities.com/enginebarn/crasha.jpg

Ookpik
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem

Post Number: 2992
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Monday, January 29, 2007 - 7:40 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Oookpik, do you have the rest of that article?

It crashed at 12140 Flanders:





I guess that explains the newer houses along that stretch of Flanders.
Top of pageBottom of page

Ookpik
Member
Username: Ookpik

Post Number: 19
Registered: 01-2007
Posted on Monday, January 29, 2007 - 8:04 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Mike,

Here is the rest of the article:

http://www.geocities.com/engin ebarn/crash3.jpg

Ookpik
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem

Post Number: 2993
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Monday, January 29, 2007 - 8:12 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks!

More here:

http://aviation-safety.net/dat abase/record.php?id=19491119-0 &lang=en
Top of pageBottom of page

Lowell
Board Administrator
Username: Lowell

Post Number: 3624
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Monday, January 29, 2007 - 11:16 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Interesting coincidence that the site MikeM shows is in this picture too -- taken while landing at City Airport in a small aircraft.
Top of pageBottom of page

Aiw
Member
Username: Aiw

Post Number: 6140
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Monday, January 29, 2007 - 11:26 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The plane that crashed into the cemetery was a non-fatal incident:

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief .asp?ev_id=20010830X01826&key= 1

quote:

On August 28, 2001, about 1805 eastern daylight time, a Dassault/SUD Fan Jet Falcon, N617GA, piloted by an airline transport pilot rated pilot and commercial rated copilot, sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain and objects during a main wheels up landing on runway 33 (5,090 feet by 100 feet, dry, grooved asphalt) at Detroit City Airport (DET), Detroit, Michigan. The airplane came to rest off the departure end of runway 33. The non-scheduled domestic cargo flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 135. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was on an IFR flight plan. The pilot and copilot reported no injuries. The flight originated from DET and was destined for Greater Rockford Airport, near Rockford, Illinois. The flight declared an emergency and returned to DET for a landing at the time of the accident.

The captain stated that after the freight was loaded, he closed the cargo door making sure it was over center. He reported the copilot stated "door light out" at which time he clipped all the cargo net straps on the door and on the floor. The captain reported that after takeoff at an altitude of about 600 feet, the cockpit door opened, they heard a loud noise, and the copilot confirmed that the cargo door was open. The captain reported he had the copilot call the tower to inform them that they were returning with an emergency. The captain reported the tower cleared them to land and reminded them to extend the gear. The captain reported that he repeatedly requested the copilot to lower the gear and flaps. The captain reported the gear and flaps were extended late which "...caused us to overshoot the runway centerline." The captain reported that the copilot started to call for an overshoot, but the captain replied that they were going to land. He reported that he was having difficulty controlling the airplane and he was worried about sustaining foreign object damage to the left engine from cabin debris. The captain reported that unknown to him, the copilot retracted the flaps and gear. The copilot extended the gear once again when he realized that the captain was going to land.

The captain reported the nose gear extended and locked, but there was no braking. He reported he selected the electro-pump to the left and "shut the engines." The captain reported he steered the airplane away from the runway edge light and between the cement posts of the cemetery fence. The airplane came to rest 30 feet past the fence.

The pilot reported that on base leg he requested that the copilot extend the flaps. When he went to move them himself, he saw the copilot move the flap handle "apparently the wrong way." The captain reported, "Had the flaps been extended when requested, there is no doubt in my mind that I would have touched on the numbers."

The captain reported, "I would normally have detected the F/O odd actions immediately, but the cargo door was open [which] made the airplane behave somewhat differently than usual" and "The cockpit was very noisy, but not enough that he would not hear my commands, [which] I repeated and he acknowledged, but choose to disregard."

The copilot reported, "Pre-flight planning, engine start up and taxi was conducted in accordance with standard operating procedures, in which main cargo door light was checked twice as per the check list." The copilot reported the cargo door opened shortly after takeoff. He reported that just prior to the turn from downwind to base the captain called for flaps and gear at which time he lowered the gear and extended 25 degrees of flaps. The copilot reported the captain then called for the flaps to be lowered to 40 degrees at which time he extended the flaps further. The copilot reported he then became alarmed when seeing the position of the airplane relative to the runway at which time he shouted to the captain "go miss, go miss go around." He reported the captain glanced at him momentarily and continued toward the runway. The copilot then selected gear up and raised the flaps to 25 degrees while still indicating to the captain to go around. The copilot reported the captain continued to descend toward the runway while the airplane was "dangerously low on altitude [less than] 100' AGL." The copilot indicated in a drawing that the airplane then passed through the runway centerline and the captain "...aggressively reversed bank to the right. Approximate height 50' AGL with steep angle of bank." The copilot reported that at this point he stopped his efforts for a missed approach and he lowered the gear. According to a drawing the copilot indicated that the airplane touched down about half way down the runway.

A witness stated that he looked out the window and noticed the exterior door latch was not down. He reported that a truck driver also mentioned to him that the latch was up. The witness reported that the airplane was taxiing down the runway and he was unable to see if the crew had secured the latch prior to takeoff.



You can search the NTSB back to 1975 here:

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/query .asp
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem

Post Number: 2994
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Tuesday, January 30, 2007 - 12:31 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The one that crashed into the cemetery in the early 1990s killed the pilot, who was also the owner of the company. He tried to take off with the parking brake set.


There's a photo in the Virtual Motor City archives that has stumped me for a while - it's an aerial view of the intersection of Canfield and Riopelle labeled "Stanley Hausner crash site".

The only thing I can find about Hausner was that he was a Polish-American aviator who once ditched in the Atlantic while trying to fly (non-stop?) from New York to Warsaw in 1932.

Apparently he was planning another attempt, but on May 18, 1935, he was in Detroit, and while flying over Poletown area memorial services for Polish dictator Joseph Pilsudski, who had passed away a few days earlier, crashed into a house and killed himself:

"Detroit, May 18. -- Stanley Hausner. Polish-American aviator, was killed today when the monoplane he was stunting during a memorial service in tribute to Joseph Pilsudski, dictator of Poland, crashed and burned."

Do a search at the VMC for Hausner. Also a search on Pilsudski produces a couple of photos of (Pilsudski) mourners at Sweetest Heart of Mary.
Top of pageBottom of page

Aiw
Member
Username: Aiw

Post Number: 6141
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Tuesday, January 30, 2007 - 9:38 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Mike is this the one with a Lear Jet?

quote:

NTSB Identification: CHI91MA224 .
The docket is stored on NTSB microfiche number 44798.
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, July 22, 1991 in DETROIT, MI
Probable Cause Approval Date: 9/11/1992
Aircraft: LEARJET 23, registration: N959SC
Injuries: 3 Fatal.
A LINEMAN NOTED PARKING BRAKE (P/B) WAS SET BFR FLT. PLTS BGN TKOF ON 5147' RWY WITH 10 KT X-WND. A WITNESS SAID ACFT ROTATED FOR TKOF ABT 4500' DWN RWY & LIFTED OFF ABT 50' LTR. RPRTDLY, IT RMND LOW & SLOW (20-60 FT AGL) AFTER LIFT-OFF, THEN BANKED (ROCKED) LEFT & RIGHT IN NOSE HI ATTITUDE, SETTLED, HIT TREES & CRASHED ABT 200' BYD RWY. ONE PERSON SAID ACFT WENT OUT OF CTL BFR IMPACT; ANOTHER SAID IT WAS 'IN OR ON THE EDGE OF STALLED FLIGHT.' EXAM SHOWED ROTATIONAL DMG OCCURRED IN BOTH ENGS DRG IMPACT. THE BRAKING SYS HAD EVIDENCE THAT P/B CTL VLV WAS PARTIALLY ON; BRAKE TORQUE TUBE CONTAINED HEAT BLUEING. ON THIS EARLY MODEL (LEARJET 23/SN: 23-45A), P/B HAD TO BE RLSD BY DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDALS 1ST; PLT HANDBOOK DID NOT ADDRESS THIS. ON LTR MODELS (SN: 23-050 & UP), P/B NEEDED ONLY TO BE MOVED 'OFF.' INV SHOWED LEFT SEAT PLT HAD TRNG IN LATER MODELS (LEARJET 24/25); BUT ONLY A BIENNIAL FLT REVIEW WAS NOTED IN THE MODEL 23. COMPANY DISPATCHER SAID NO TRNG WOULD HAVE BEEN PERFORMED ON ACDNT FLT (WITH PSGR ABOARD). ACFT WAS ABT 430 LBS OVR MAX WT LMT.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

IMPROPER PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT, HIS FAILURE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF WHILE THERE WAS SUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINING, AND HIS FAILURE TO ASSURE THAT THE AIRCRAFT ATTAINED SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED FOR LIFT-OFF AND CLIMB. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ASSURE THE AIRCRAFT WAS WITHIN ITS MAXIMUM WEIGHT LIMITATION, HIS IMPROPER USE OF THE PARKING BRAKE, AND INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION IN THE PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK CONCERNING THE AIRCRAFT PARKING BRAKE.

Top of pageBottom of page

Karl
Member
Username: Karl

Post Number: 5986
Registered: 09-2005
Posted on Tuesday, January 30, 2007 - 10:47 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Those interested in these type incidents will find this website a valuable resource:

www.airdisaster.com
Top of pageBottom of page

The_rock
Member
Username: The_rock

Post Number: 1525
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Tuesday, January 30, 2007 - 1:42 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Congratulations Mikem! I heard on the news today that pilots can now sit in the left seat til they are 65, as long as the first officer isn't!
Or does the first officer have to be under 60?
Top of pageBottom of page

Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba

Post Number: 4799
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Tuesday, January 30, 2007 - 2:06 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Good news for The Rock. NWA has an opening for a 747 pilot on the Toyko run.

jjaba.

Add Your Message Here
Posting is currently disabled in this topic. Contact your discussion moderator for more information.