- Date
- July 23, 1990, 09:34 local (13:34 UTC)
- Place
- Plymouth, MI
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 19900723028142A19900723028141A
- Case key
- 14538
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
Inadequate visual lookout by the pilot of the PA-60. A factor related to the accident was that neither of the flight crews had obatained atc/radar assistance.
Inadequate visual lookout by the pilot of the PA-60. A factor related to the accident was that neither of the flight crews had obtained atc/radar assistance.
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
A Piper PA-28, N55354, had departed Plymouth, MI & was climbing from 1300' MSL on a course of about 282 deg with a gnd speed of 80 KTS. At about the same time, a Piper PA-60, N8060J, was cruising at 2100' MSL on a flt from detroit to jackson, MI, on a course of about 258 deg with a gnd speed of 165 KTS. Subsequently, the 2 acft converged & collided at 2100' MSL. Both acft then plunged to the gnd & crashed. Radar data & wreckage exam revealed the PA-60 had converged from the right rear of the PA-28; the PA-28 converged on the PA-60 from its lower, left, forward area. The PA-28 was on an instrument training flt with a rated pvt plt & an instructor plt (CFI) aboard. The investigation did not reveal which seat the CFI was occupying. No flt plan had been filed for either flt, nor was there any indcn that either flt crew had obtained atc/radar assistance.
A Piper PA-28, N55354, had departed Plymouth, MI & was climbing from 1300' MSL on a course of about 282 deg with a gnd speed of 80 KTS. At about the same time, a Piper PA-60, N8060J, was cruising at 2100' MSL on a flt from detroit to jackson, MI, on a course of about 258 deg with a gnd speed of 165 KTS. Subsequently, the 2 acft converged & collided at 2100' MSL. Both acft then plunged to the gnd & crashed. Radar data & wreckage exam revealed the PA-60 had converged from the right rear of the PA-28; the PA-28 converged on the PA-60 from its lower, left, forward area. The PA-28 was on an instrument training flt with a rated pvt plt & an instructor plt (CFI) aboard. The investigation did not reveal which seat the CFI was occupying. No flt plan had been filed for either flt, nor was there any indcn that either flt crew had obtained atc/radar assistance.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N55354
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7325383
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E3D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert G. Gunn
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 1D2 · Plymouth, 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.
- Registration
- N8060J
- Reported as
- Piper PA-60-600
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 60-0543-175
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1J5, 290 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Federal Armored Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- DET · Detroit, MI
- Destination
- JXN · Jackson, 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N55354
- Age
- 65
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 4,200 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 4,000 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N8060J
- Age
- 34
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 7,000 total · 2,000 in this make and model · 6,800 as pilot in command · 180 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- YIP, 8 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.