# Accident 19981204032719A: Piper PA31, Pontiac, MI, December 4, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 4, 1998, 20:52 local time
- Place: Pontiac, MI
- Airport: Oakland Co
- Damage: Destroyed
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: LVWA
- Location: 42.6608° N, 83.3797° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.6608&lon=-83.3797&mi=10
- Aircraft: N59902, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N59902-2000-04-10) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-31-350 (registry code 7103110, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA31
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI99FA047](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99FA047) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981204032719A

## Narrative

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

L&W FLYING SERVICE AIR TAXI CRASHED 1/4 MILE SW OF THE OAKLAND COUNTY ARPT WHILE ON ILS APPROACH TO RWY 09R. (-23) N59902 PILOTED BY MR. DOUGLAS P. CROWLEY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^  WAS EXECUTING AN ILS 9R APPROACH AT KPTK AIRPORT WHEN HE STRUCK TREES AT THE MIDDLE MARKER AREA AND SECONDS LATER CRASHED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY POSTCRASH FIRE. MR. CROWLEY DIED OF MULTIPLE INJURIES AT THE TIME OF IMPACT.

## 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 CHI99FA047](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99FA047), Dec 5, 1998: Piper PA-31-350 (N59902), Waterford, MI, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: the pilot's descent below the decision height for the instrument approach.

## Other reports on N59902 (5)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19900913050449I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900913050449I), Sep 13, 1990: Piper PA31350 (N59902), Du Bois, PA. Electrical system failure inflight. Diverted. Found field lead on right alternator broken.
- [Incident 19790705018609I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790705018609I), Jul 5, 1979: Piper PA31350 (N59902), Boston, MA. Pilot lowered gear manually when it failed to extend due to hydraulic loss because of ruptured left filter bowl
- [Incident 19790704018289I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790704018289I), Jul 4, 1979: Piper PA31350 (N59902), Boston, MA, Minor damage. Unsafe gear light. Manually extended gear. Hydraulic filter bowl missing.
- [Incident 19790608015749I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790608015749I), Jun 8, 1979: Piper PA31350 (N59902), Marthas Vineyar, MA, Minor damage. Pilot lost directional control during taxi.
- [Incident 19790313008979I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790313008979I), Mar 13, 1979: Piper PA31350 (N59902), Boston, MA, Minor damage. Aircraft struck taxiway sign at night

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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