What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 21, 2025, at approximately 1629 EDT, a vans RV-14A, registration privacy data omitted, was involved in a fatal accident during a personal flight from oscoda, Michigan, to Lowell, Michigan. The flight was conducted under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91. No flight plan was filed. The private pilot and one passenger were fatally injured.
The aircraft departed oscoda, Michigan, at approximately 1532 EDT. Based on correspondence recovered after the accident, the passenger had procured transportation from a friend’s private aircraft to Lowell to view a potential aircraft purchase. Eyewitness accounts described the aircraft on a low, slow approach near Lowell City Airport (24C), a non-towered facility. A witness driving parallel to the aircraft reported observing it decelerate further before entering a shallow left bank of approximately 30 degrees to the north. The aircraft then entered a nose-down spin and impacted a storage unit approximately one-half mile from the airport. The witness reported an initial small explosion followed by a larger post-impact explosion and fire, which destroyed most of the wreckage and the immediate structure.
A preliminary review of meteorological data for the area at the time of the accident revealed no significant weather concerns. An initial joint inspection conducted by the NTSB, FAA, and a Lycoming engines representative found no mechanical discrepancies with the remains of the engine. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 21, 2025, AT APPROXIMATELY 1629 EDT, A VANS RV-14A, REGISTRATION ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS INVOLVED IN A FATAL ACCIDENT DURING A PERSONAL FLIGHT FROM OSCODA, MICHIGAN, TO LOWELL, MICHIGAN. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED.
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED OSCODA, MICHIGAN, AT APPROXIMATELY 1532 EDT. BASED ON CORRESPONDENCE RECOVERED AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE PASSENGER HAD PROCURED TRANSPORTATION FROM A FRIEND’S PRIVATE AIRCRAFT TO LOWELL TO VIEW A POTENTIAL AIRCRAFT PURCHASE. EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS DESCRIBED THE AIRCRAFT ON A LOW, SLOW APPROACH NEAR LOWELL CITY AIRPORT (24C), A NON-TOWERED FACILITY. A WITNESS DRIVING PARALLEL TO THE AIRCRAFT REPORTED OBSERVING IT DECELERATE FURTHER BEFORE ENTERING A SHALLOW LEFT BANK OF APPROXIMATELY 30 DEGREES TO THE NORTH. THE AIRCRAFT THEN ENTERED A NOSE-DOWN SPIN AND IMPACTED A STORAGE UNIT APPROXIMATELY ONE-HALF MILE FROM THE AIRPORT. THE WITNESS REPORTED AN INITIAL SMALL EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY A LARGER POST-IMPACT EXPLOSION AND FIRE, WHICH DESTROYED MOST OF THE WRECKAGE AND THE IMMEDIATE STRUCTURE.
A PRELIMINARY REVIEW OF METEOROLOGICAL DATA FOR THE AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT REVEALED NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONCERNS. AN INITIAL JOINT INSPECTION CONDUCTED BY THE NTSB, FAA, AND A LYCOMING ENGINES REPRESENTATIVE FOUND NO MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES WITH THE REMAINS OF THE ENGINE. THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.