N124ET

On June 19, 1998, at 1605 eastern daylight time, a Tillman Christen II, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed during a collision with the ground and post-impact fire following a loss of control during a go- around from a landing approach to Runway 31 (4,300' X 75' dry asphalt) at the Livingston County Airport, Howell, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal; flight was not operating on a flight plan at the time of the accident. The pilot was fatally injured. The flight departed Howell, Michigan, exact time unknown.

A mechanic who was employed by the fixed base operator where the pilot had some work accomplished on the airplane and purchased fuel said the airplane's takeoff "...seemed to be squirrelly and unsteady... ." He said he thought the airplane was in the air for about 1-hour before the crash.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration Principal Maintenance Inspector, the airplane reportedly entered a steep left bank as it entered onto crosswind leg of the traffic pattern and entered an uncontrolled descent, impacting the ground a short time later.

The on-scene investigation revealed no anomalies with the airframe, flight control system, or engine that would have prevented flight.

The pilot's logbook showed his last flight in N124ET was September 21,1995. At that time, the logbook showed he had a total time of 32.2 hours in N124ET. The logbook also showed the pilot had 115 hours of flight time in tail wheel airplanes. The make and models of the tailwheel airplanes was not shown.

An autopsy of the pilot was conducted by the Livingston County Michigan, medical examiner on June 20, 1998. The report showed the pilot's fatal injuries were from "...multiple trauma... ." The toxicology examination was conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Civil Aeromedical Institute located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The results of that toxicology examination were Metoprolol and Triamterene were detected in the samples examined. Metoprolol and Triamterene are anti-hypertensive drugs used for individuals with cardio-vascular abnormalities. According to the pilot's FAA medical records, he had an FAA approval for the use of these drugs.