- Date
- September 3, 1983, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Houghton Hts., MI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4142HPiper PA-15
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830903050069A
- Case key
- 12332
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
During takeoff, the acft entered a steep right turn & subsequently, the right wing struck a tree & the plane crashed. The acft was being flown by the owner, who did not possess an FAA plt or medical certificate. According to him, the acft entered a 'downdraft or air pocket' after takeoff & entered a descent. However, in his statement, he failed to mention that shortly after lift-off, he entered a steep, right turn. The acft had not received an annual inspection in the last 6 yrs.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4142H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-15
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15-25
- Airframe hours
- 1,821
- Engine
- Continental A-65, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Joseph C. Bower
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 26, 1977 · 21 hours before
- Airport
- 5Y2 · Houghton Lake State, runway 16, 2,600 × 100 ft, grass/turf
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
- 47
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 21 total · 21 in this make and model · 21 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N4142H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.