Piper PA-18 accident near Middleville, MI
On July 6, 1997, a Piper PA-18 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Middleville, MI. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- July 6, 1997
- Place
- Middleville, MI
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 42.711°N, 85.460°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X08316
NTSB summary
On July 6, 1997, at 0710 eastern daylight time (edt), a Piper PA- 18, N183DP, owned and operated by a commercial instrument rated pilot, was destroyed by ground impact and post-crash fire shortly after takeoff from Barlow Lake, Middleville, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot and passenger sustained fatal injuries. No flight plan was on file. The flight originated at Barlow Lake, Middleville, Michigan, at 0700 edt, and was en route to Rockford, Michigan. One witness near the accident site, reported she did not see the accident but recalled hearing the engine doing a series of "...slowly raised and lowered in pitch, an explosion." Another witness, stated he "...heard an engine start up at full throttle as if it were attempting to climb, ...then heard a crash." The Michigan Department of State Police reported that at the accident site, N183DP was upside down pointing south to southwest. The ground scars were approximately 50 feet long in a straight line, in a direction of south to southeast. The Michigan State Police said, "...due to the fact that the marks were not that long, the plane may have been traveling at relatively slower speeds." A Federal Aviation Administration Inspector represented the NTSB on-scene. Examination of the airplane found no indication of pre-impact flight control failure. Flight Control continuity was verified to the elevators and rudder. The aileron cables had been cut for transport, but otherwise were continuous. Floats were non-amp
Probable cause
fuel contamination, due to improper servicing of the aircraft; and failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, while maneuvering to land, which resulted in a inadvertent stall and collision with the terrain. The pilot's failure to ensure a proper gross weight of the aircraft, and his lack of total experience in type of aircraft were related factors.
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Browse: Michigan · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
