- Date
- July 8, 1989, 19:06 local (23:06 UTC)
- Place
- Roscommon, MI
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2336JPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890708020839A
- Case key
- 14262
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
Loss of control in flight while maneuvering and the failure to perform remedial action by the PIC.
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 accident airplane collided with terrain during an out of control descent. Witnesses to the accident described the airplane as suddenly climbing before dropping one wing and spinning into the ground. One pilot rated witness who was in another airplane described a multiple turn spin prior to impact. The pilot had been treated and released for a thermal injury (sunburn) at a hospital emergency room six days before the accident. The pilot had just spent another full day exposed to the sun canoeing with friends. Examination of the airplane wreckage revealed no mechanical defects with either the airframe or powerplant.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2336J
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7909108
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Hoffman Flying Service
- Departed
- 55D · Grayling Aaf, MI
- Destination
- 80D · Clare County, MI
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
- 24
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 502 total · 87 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HTL, 10 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.