# NTSB CHI69F0625: Piper PA-32, N5548J, Rapid City, MI, March 29, 1969

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Closed
- Date: March 29, 1969
- Place: Rapid City, MI · RAPID CITY, MI
- Location: 44.8394° N, 85.2923° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Rapid City, MI, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.8394&lon=-85.2923&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 5 serious
- Status: Completed, report December 9, 1969
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 185319
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI69F0625
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI69F0625

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-2535  69/3/29    RAPID CITY,MICH     PIPER PA-32         CR-  0  1  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 44, 177
        TIME - 1054                    N5548J              PX-  0  4  0  BUSINESS                  TOTAL HOURS, 10 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          TROY,MICH                   BELLAIRE,MICH
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           ENGINE FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION                            IN FLIGHT: NORMAL CRUISE
           COLLIDED WITH: TREES                                     LANDING: LEVEL OFF/TOUCHDOWN
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - BECAME LOST/DISORIENTED
           PILOT IN COMMAND - MISMANAGEMENT OF FUEL
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - FUEL STARVATION
        FACTOR(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           WEATHER - SNOW
        COMPLETE POWER LOSS - COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE/FLAMEOUT-1 ENGINE
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY RADIO
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES - FORCED LANDING OFF AIRPORT ON LAND
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          BROKEN                                                    2000
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          5 OR OVER(UNLIMITED)                                     SNOW SHOWERS
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
          NONE                                                     VFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          NONE
        REMARKS- BECAME LOST WHILE FLYING ON TOP OF CLOUDS. FUEL SELECTOR POSITIONED ON EMPTY TANK.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5548J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5548J-1970-10-21), registration cancelled 1970-10-21, S/N 32-1010 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32
- Registry model: [Piper PA-32-260](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-260) (registry code 7103206) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

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.

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