The pilot, a resident of Canton, was traveling from Detroit to Saint Louis on a night cargo flight. The unnamed pilot informed the ATC that both engines failed. He was directed to the small airport. Because it was a night flight, he had no visual clues causing him to lose control, stalling and crashing just southwest of South Lyon, 4 miles from the airport. The Beachcraft C-45 Expediter, impacted trees before his destination at the private airstrip near Brighton Road and Eight Mile Road in Green Oak Township, Michigan.
The pilot was not injured, however, the aircraft received substantial damage. The pilot reported to local police that he was coming in for a landing when a gust of wind caused the plane to roll to the left, where the wing clipped a tree branch forcing the plane into the trees. He was not injured and able to climb down from where the plane was “stuck” making it to the ground.
He was the only person inside the plane. The seasoned aviator has over 5,000 flying hours, 3169 of them on the same style as the Beechcraft C-45
Expeditor. The Bureau of Aircraft Accident Archives reported the probable causes were the following; Double engine failure in flight caused by fuel
exhaustion, mismanagement of fuel, improper in-flight decisions, fuel exhaustion, improper level off, inadequate pre-flight preparation, complete engine failure, forced landing off airport, vectored to alternate airport due to low fuel, both engines failed before field in sight.
The Aviation Safety Network concurred.
