Piper PA-28-140 accident near Kalamazoo, MI
On April 20, 1998, a Piper PA-28-140 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Kalamazoo, MI. 4 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- April 20, 1998
- Place
- Kalamazoo, MI
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 4 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 42.199°N, 85.560°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001211X09808
NTSB summary
History of Flight On April 19, 1998, at 2209 eastern daylight time (All times EDT), a Piper PA-28-140, N1762J, operated by St. Joe Flying Club, was destroyed when it impacted the terrain after takeoff. The 14 CFR Part 91 airplane had departed runway 5 at the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport (AZO), Kalamazoo, Michigan, on a local flight. The airplane impacted a taxiway about 150 yards from the departure end of the runway. The pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. A witness reported that the pilot departed the Three Rivers Airport (HAI), Three Rivers, Michigan, at approximately 2100, and flew to AZO about 25 miles to the north. At 2120, N1762J reported to the AZO tower controller that he was 2.5 miles from the airport with information "Victor." The ATIS information Victor reported the following information: Winds 240 degrees at 4 knots, visibility 10 miles, sky scattered at 6,500 feet, ceiling at 9,000 feet broken, temperature was 11 degrees C, dew point 4 degrees C, altimeter 30.03, visual approaches in use landing and departing runway 35. At 2126, N1762J was cleared to land on runway 5. At 2128, the tower cleared N1762J to taxi to Kal-Aero, a local fixed base operator (FBO) that was located adjacent to the approach end of runway 5. Witnesses reported that the pilot waited in the lobby at Kal-Aero for his passengers to arrive. The Kal-Aero receptionist reported that three passengers, two men and a woman, arrived at 2145. She reported the pilot and passengers went out to the a
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate flying airspeed resulting in a stall condition. Contributing factors were the tailwind condition and the pilot's exceeding the gross weight of the airplane on takeoff.
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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.
