N11991

On August 12, 2001, at 1100 central daylight time, an amateur-built Schuetz Miniplane DSA-1, N11991, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage during an in-flight collision with trees and terrain near Michigan City, Indiana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot, the sole occupant, was seriously injured. The flight departed the South Haven Area Regional Airport, South Haven, Michigan, at 1030 and was maneuvering at the time of the accident.

According to the pilot's written statement, at the time of the accident he was maneuvering, at approximately 1150 feet msl, trying to locate a friend's residence. The pilot stated that while he was in a turn the engine quit running. The pilot reported that the airspeed of the airplane was "slow" when the engine quit running. The pilot stated, "Before I realized the engine had quit I had lost to much airspeed. The plane stalled and went into a spin." The pilot reported that he regained control of the airplane and recovered from the spin at approximately 50 to 60 feet above the ground. The pilot stated that he was unable to climb before impacting a small grove of trees. The pilot reported that the engine began to run after the recovery from the spin.

The pilot stated that the airplane's fuel quantity, as of the last departure, was 8 gallons. The fuel burn rate for a Continental O-200 engine is reported as 7.5 gallons/hour.

During a post-accident inspection no anomalies were found with the airplane or its engine that could be associated with any pre-impact condition.