# Accident 19980718046699A: Piper PA28140, Napoleon, MI, July 18, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 18, 1998, 16:00 local time
- Place: Napoleon, MI
- Airport: Napoleon Airport
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.0002° N, 83.9408° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.0002&lon=-83.9408&mi=10
- Aircraft: N54R, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N54R-1999-11-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-140 (registry code 7102802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28140
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA257](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA257) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980718046699A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON TAKE OFF FROM NAPOLEAN AIRPORT, NAPOLEAN, MICHIGAN AT 1600L ON 07/18/98, AIRCRAFT NUMBER 54R, A PIPER PA-28-140 LOST POWER STRIKING AN ANTENNA, FENCE AND ROAD SIGN, RESULTING IN A BRIEF GROUND FIRE AND HEAVY AIRCRAFT DAMAGE. THE TAKE OFF WAS FROM A DRY 2550' GRASS RUN WAY.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLOWN UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 PRIVATE PILOT WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN.  THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS REPORTED NO INJURIES.  THE WEATHER MET VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.

## 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 CHI98LA257](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA257), Jul 18, 1998: Piper PA-28-140 (N54R), Napoleon, MI, destroyed. Probable cause: the pilot inadequate pre-flight planning. Factors in this accident were the airplane's weight and balance limitations had been exceeded by the pilot and an improper top overhaul of the engine's…

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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