- Date
- July 8, 2025, 11:36 local (15:36 UTC)
- Place
- Jenison, MI
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N29342Cessna 177
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 30, 2025
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20250708008109A
- Case key
- 200493
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control and clearance from trees during takeoff.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The left-seat pilot reported that during the takeoff rotation, the right-seat pilot unexpectedly manipulated the flight controls and placed the airplane into a “maximum performance climb attitude.” The left-seat pilot immediately released the control yoke and relinquished control of the airplane to the other pilot. The right-seat pilot leveled the airplane and began a shallow left turn before striking trees. The airplane subsequently pitched down and impacted a lake which resulted in substantial damage to both wings, fuselage, and empennage. The left-seat pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N29342
- Reported as
- Cessna 177
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17700825
- Built
- 1968
- Airframe hours
- 4,087
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 2, 2025
- Airport
- 08C · Riverview, runway 32, 3,920 × 49 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Handheld GPS, ADS-B
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 84
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- BasicMed, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 10, 2023
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 670 total · 70 in this make and model · 0 in the last 90 days · 0 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- KGRR, 13 nm away
- METAR
- KGRR 081753Z 26006KT 10SM FEW065 SCT100 27/16 A3007 RMK AO2 SLP179 T02670156 10283 20172 58009=
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 4, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 25.4 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.