# Accident 19980703016289A: Aerovd L39C, Traverse, MI, July 3, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 3, 1998, 18:45 local time
- Place: Traverse, MI
- Damage: Damage unknown
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.7609° N, 85.6992° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.7609&lon=-85.6992&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7868M, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7868M-2008-01-22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aero Vodochody L39C (registry code 05620RN, https://openairdocs.org/model/aero-vodochody-l39c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AEROVD L39C
- Reported engine: ZMDB AI25TL
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 5,500 total, 35 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98FAMS1](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98FAMS1) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980703016289A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4)THE AIRPLANE TOOK OFF AT 1831 EDT. AT 1844 EDT, THE TOWER CONTROLLER ASKED THE PILOT OF THE AIRPLANE FOR A POSITION REPORT.  THE PILOT REPLIED THAT HE WAS 27 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT TRACKING THE 246 DEGREE RADIAL.  THE PILOT TOLD THE TOWER THAT HE WOULD CALL THEM AGAIN WHEN HE GOT WITHIN FIVE MILES [OF THE AIRPORT].  THE AIRPLANE WAS TRACKED BY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL RADAR MAKING A TURN AND TRACKING DUE WEST AT 300 MILES PER HOUR.  THE AIRPLANE WAS TRACKED TO A POSITION OF 344 DEGREES AT 31.1 MILES OFF THE TRAVERSE CITY (TVC) VOR.  RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AS THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED SOUTH FOX ISLAND (TVC VOR 177 DEGREE RADIAL AT 9.6 MILES).  ONE MINUTE AND 20 SECONDS AFTER RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST, A FAST MOVING PRIMARY TARGET WAS TRACKED TO A POSITION 9 MILES NORTH OF SOUTH FOX ISLAND, WHERE THE TARGET WAS LOST.  A SEARCH FOR THE AIRPLANE WAS INITIATED AT 2057 EDT.  ON JULY 4, 1998, AT 2235 EDT, SEARCH OPERATIONS WERE SUSPENDED.                           (-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED TVC JULY 3, 1998 AT 18:31 LOCAL TIME.  REPORTED POSITION TO TVC TOWER AS 22 MI N-NE AT 18:44. NO OTHER TRANSMISSION.  ATC HAD RADAR TRACK OF AN AIRCRAFT THAT MAY HAVE NEEN N7868M, NEAR FOX ISLAND. AIRC RAFT MISSING.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI98FAMS1](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98FAMS1), Jul 3, 1998: Aero Vodochody Aero. Works L-39C (N7868M), Traverse City, MI, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: Undetermined.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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