- Date
- July 28, 2005, 09:15 local (13:15 UTC)
- Place
- Holland, MI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N602EAPiper PA-28-151
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 27, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Grand Rapids, MI, FSDO
- FAA report
- 20050728024499A
- Case key
- 62348
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 adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall, and subsequent collision with trees. Contributing to the accident were the trees.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane was destroyed on impact with trees and terrain during climbout from runway. The flight instructor stated, "During the climbout, the airplane stalled just above the trees. In recovery, lowered the nose and struck the trees of the nearby woods. Airplane crashed into the ground." The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane in reference to the flight. Winds at the airport were 260 degrees at 3 knots.
Factual narrative
On July 28, 2005, about 0915 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-151, N602EA, piloted by a flight instructor, was destroyed on impact with trees and terrain during climbout from runway 12 (2,245 feet by 90 feet dry turf) at the Park Township Airport, near Holland, Michigan. The instructional flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file. The pilot reported that he and his student were uninjured. The local flight departed from the Muskegon County Airport, near Muskegon, Michigan, about 0845.
The flight instructor's accident report, in part, stated:
Flew to Park Township (HLM) to practice short [and] soft field
takeoffs and landing. Performed two short field landings. Made
appropriate radio calls and entered left traffic for [runway] 12. Got
stabilized on final and touched down on the grass [runway]. During
the climbout, the airplane stalled just above the trees. In recovery,
lowered the nose and struck the trees of the nearby woods. Airplane
crashed into the ground.
The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane in reference to the flight.
At 0853, the recorded weather at HLM was: Wind 260 degrees at 3 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition clear; temperature 18 degrees C; dew point 14 degrees C; altimeter 30.14 inches of mercury.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N602EA
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-151
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7515144
- Airframe hours
- 9,525.3
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E3D, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Executive Air Transport Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 2005 · 0.5 hours before
- Departed
- MKG · Muskegon, MI
- Destination
- HLM
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 24
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 347 total · 244 in this make and model
- Role
- Student pilot
- Injuries
- None
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.13 inHg
- Observed at
- BIV
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.