# NTSB CHI93FAMS2: Piper PA-28R-200, N15206, Grand Haven, MI, March 15, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Missing aircraft · Final report - Date: March 15, 1993, 11:38 local (16:38 UTC) - Place: Grand Haven, MI - Coordinates: 43.049926, -86.220649 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.0499&lon=-86.2206&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Unknown](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/990) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report July 25, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 9184 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI93FAMS2 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9184/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=9184 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI93FAMS2 ## Probable cause undetermined. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Missing aircraft, unknown - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) ## Analysis THE PILOT WAS REPORTEDLY FLYING TO JACKSON, MICHIGAN, TO TAKE A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR PRACTICAL FLIGHT TEST FOR WHICH HE WAS SCHEDULED. THE PILOT DID NOT ARRIVE FOR THE FLIGHT TEST. THE FAA ARTCC COVERING THE FLIGHT AREA IDENTIFIED A TARGET WHICH WAS MOST LIKELY THE MISSING AIRPLANE. THE FLIGHT PATH OF THE AIRPLANE TOWARD THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, AND BEYOND IT, AS ERATIC. THE FLIGHT PATH INCLUDED A NUMBER OF TURNS WITH DESCENTS AND ASCENTS. EVENTUALLY, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED OVER LAKE MICHIGAN. THE LAST RADAR CONTACT WAS 6,700 FEET MSL. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT LOCATED IN SPITE OF AIR AND LAND SEARCHES CONDUCTED BY THE CIVIL AIR PATROL. THE AIRPLANE AND PILOT REMAIN MISSING. ## Factual narrative On March 15, 1993, at 1138 eastern standard time (EST), a Piper PA-28R-200, N15206, registered to Suburban Aviation, Inc. of Ottawa Lake, Michigan, disappeared while flying over Lake Michigan. The airplane is missing, and the solo commercial pilot is presumed dead. The pilot of the airplane departed toward Jackson, Michigan, with the intent of taking a flight instructor checkride. The airplane was last visible on radar, during a descent, approximately 11 miles southwest of Grand Haven, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time the airplane was believed to have been last observed on radar. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight originated from Lambertville, Michigan, at 1010 EST. The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Cleveland, Ohio, Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) having responsibility for the area between N15206's departure point and its last presumed contact stated a radar target was observed departing the Toledo Suburban Airport, Lambertville, Michigan, on March 15, 1993, at 1006 EST. He stated the aircraft had a non-discreet transponder code and was not positively identified as N15206 since there was no communication between the aircraft and ARTCC. The FAA representative stated the flight path and altitude of the aircraft was erratic. The flight path involved turns with descending and ascending spirals of various altitudes. The ARTCC representative stated the aircraft's last radar contact was Latitude 42 degrees, 52 minutes, 12 seconds North and Longitude of 86 degrees, 20 minutes, 12 seconds West. The representative stated the aircraft was approximately three to five miles west of Lake Michigan's eastern shore, and four miles south of the Coopersville, Michigan, radar site tracking south-southwest at an altitude of 6,700 feet when radar contact was lost. The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) conducted an investigation which included an air search of the area where ARTCC's last radar target identification was made. The results of the search were negative. The entire area where N15206 was presumed to have flown was over flown by CAP airplanes. The results of the over land search were also negative. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N15206](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N15206-2002-05-04), registration cancelled 2002-05-04, S/N 28R-7335036, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28R-200 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28R-200](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-200) (registry code 7102811) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28R-7335036 - Airframe hours: 3086 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: Unknown - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Suburban Aviation, Inc. - Registered owner: Suburban Aviation, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 24, 1993 - Departed: 5G9, LAMBERTVILLE, MI - Destination: JXN, JACKSON, MI ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 20; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; flight hours: 257 total, 5 in this make and model, 116 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 21 °F, dew point 9 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: TOL ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 3, 1995, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=9184. 1.9 MB in all. - Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application (item 1, .PDF, 81 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40440160&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Airman%20Certificate%20and%2For%20Rating%20Application-Redacted.PDF - NTAP Data by FAA/Cleveland ARTCC Quality Assurance ZOB-541 (item 2, .PDF, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40440159&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTAP%20Data%20by%20FAA%2FCleveland%20ARTCC%20Quality%20Assurance%20ZOB-541-Redacted.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.