# NTSB CHI88FA082: Piper PA-23-250, N54848, Alma, MI, March 25, 1988

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: March 24, 1988, 22:22 local (Mar 25, 1988, 03:22 UTC)
- Place: Alma, MI
- Coordinates: 43.370555, -84.650985 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.3706&lon=-84.6510&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed, report November 28, 1989
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 13936
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI88FA082
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/13936/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI88FA082

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight collision with object, approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr)
  - object - tree(s) (contributing factor)
  - minimum descent altitude - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

DRG ARRIVAL, THE PLT WAS PROVIDED VECTORS FOR AN SDF RWY 9 APCH. NO WX RPRT WAS AVAILABLE FOR THE DESTN (ALMA), BUT THE PLT WAS ADZD THE SAGINAW WX WAS: INDEFINITE CEILING, 200' OBSCURED, VIS 1/2 MI WITH FOG, TEMP 41, DEW POINT 31, WIND 100 DEG AT 8 KTS, ALTIMETER 29.90. THE PLT RPRTD THAT AFTER HE WAS CLRD FOR THE APCH, HE DSCNDD TO THE MIN DSCNT ALT (MDA) OF 1300' MSL BY USING THE AUTO-PLT. HE STATED THAT ABOUT 1 MIN PAST THE FINAL APCH FIX, HE HEARD A 'THUMP' WHICH HE THOUGHT TO BE A PSBL BIRD STRIKE. HE SAID HE INITIATED A MISSED APCH, BUT DID NOT RECALL WHETHER HE ADDED PWR OR DISENGAGED THE AUTO-PLT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT DSCNDD INTO TREES & CRASHED ABT 2.5 MI WEST OF THE ARPT. AN EXAM OF THE CRASH SITE REVEALED THE ACFT HAD COLLIDED WITH TREETOPS, THEN PULLED UP & CONTD OVER TREES FOR ABOUT 400' & FINALLY DSCNDD STEEPLY INTO THE WOODED AREA & CRASHED IN A RIVER. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND. ELEV OF THE CRASH SITE WAS RPRTD AS 754'.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N54848](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N54848-1989-08-01), registration cancelled 1989-08-01, S/N 277554148 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-23-250
- Registry model: [Piper PA-23-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23-250) (registry code 7102308) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 27-7554148
- Airframe hours: 3728
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-540-C4B5 250 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Positioning, Part 91
- Operator: Hansen Flying Service
- Registered owner: Hansen Flying Service
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: AAIP, March 16, 1988, 16 hours before
- Departed: GRR, GRAND RAPIDS, MI
- Destination: AMN, ALMA, MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: AMN, Alma, runway 9, 5,000 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 23; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 1,673 total, 146 in this make and model, 1,163 as pilot in command, 71 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 100° at 9 knots
- Lowest ceiling: 200 ft
- Temperature: 41 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: MBS, 24 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19880324008729A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880324008729A), Mar 24, 1988: Piper PA23250, Alma, MI, Destroyed. Struck trees and surface on a sdf approach. Weather below minimums. No weather reporting at airport. Misjudgement.

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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