20020828021799A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28R-180 · Newago, MI · August 28, 2002

Date: August 28, 2002 · 18:45 local
Place: Newago, MI
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N4988J
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI02FA262
Reported as: Piper PA28R180
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 3

N4988JRegistration cancelled Jan 16, 2003 · Piper PA-28R-180S/N 28R-30743 · Built 1968 Airframe modelPiper PA-28R-180 Engine modelLycoming I0360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Departed three rivers (hai) at 2 pm for a conference in traverse city. Departed traverse city at approximately 6 pm to return to three rivers. At approximately 6:45 pm N4988J hit a power line and crashed into the muskegeon river near crojon heights, Newago county, MI. Three fatalities. Witnesses reported the aircraft flying low over the lake behind the hardy dam then climbing to fly over the dam and descending. Below the tree line downstream of the dam, they flew about 1 1/2 miles and made a 90 degree turn to the left. Witnesses reported the aircraft below the tree line. They flew about 1 mi on a se heading and banked for a right turn. The left wing struck a power line and they crashed into the river immediately sinking to the bottom.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) DEPARTED THREE RIVERS (HAI) AT 2 PM FOR A CONFERENCE IN TRAVERSE CITY. DEPARTED TRAVERSE CITY AT APPROXIMATELY 6 PM TO RETURN TO THREE RIVERS. AT APPROXIMATELY 6:45 PM N4988J HIT A POWER LINE AND CRASHED INTO THE MUSKEGEON RIVER NEAR CROJON HEIGHTS, NEWAGO COUNTY, MI. THREE FATALITIES. WITNESSES REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT FLYING LOW OVER THE LAKE BEHIND THE HARDY DAM THEN CLIMBING TO FLY OVER THE DAM AND DESCENDING. BELOW THE TREE LINE DOWNSTREAM OF THE DAM, THEY FLEW ABOUT 1 1/2 MILES AND MADE A 90 DEGREE TURN TO THE LEFT. WITNESSES REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT BELOW THE TREE LINE. THEY FLEW ABOUT 1 MI ON A SE HEADING AND BANKED FOR A RIGHT TURN. THE LEFT WING STRUCK A POWER LINE AND THEY CRASHED INTO THE RIVER IMMEDIATELY SINKING TO THE BOTTOM.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI02FA262Accident · 3 fatalField investigationFinal reportNewaygo, MIThe altitude/clearance disregarded by the pilot and his ostentatious display. The wire and low altitude flight were a contributing factor.Aug 28, 2002 · Destroyed

Other reports on N4988J · 1

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

Incident 19960817030409IClimb · Goshen, INNarrative: on August 17, 1996 at 2041 EST, Mr. Donavon l. gingerich acted as pilot in command of Piper model PA-28R-180, N4988J on a flight from Goshen, IN (gsh) to three rivers, Michigan (hai). Shortly after takeoff at approximately 15 NM northeast of…Aug 17, 1996 · Minor damage