Piper PA-18 N183DP

Summary

On 6 July 1997 at about 11:10 local time, a Piper PA-18 registered N183DP was involved in an accident near Middleville, Michigan, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 July 1997 at 11:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Middleville, Michigan, United States

Coordinates

42.7107, -85.4600

Aircraft

Piper PA-18

Registration

N183DP

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Rockford

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI97LA197

2 people died.

fuel contamination, due to improper servicing of the aircraft; and failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, while maneuvering to land, which resulted in a inadvertent stall and collision with the terrain. The pilot's failure to ensure a proper gross weight of the aircraft, and his lack of total experience in type of aircraft were related factors.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

EDO floats were installed on the airplane on 6/16/97, about 20 days before the accident. The pilot accumulated 5.8 hours total time in this airplane on floats. The revised weight and balance revealed a new useful load of 439 pounds. The pilot weighted 185 pounds, and was carrying a passenger weighing about 170 pounds and 36 gallons of fuel, which totaled 571 pounds. This was approximately 132 pounds over the airplane's maximum allowable gross weight. Shortly after takeoff, the airplane crashed and was destroyed by ground impact and postcrash fire. Ground scars were measured to be 50 feet long. A witness reported the airplane made a series of rpm changes, with the last being the engine going to full power. an examination of the airplane revealed neither a preimpact flight control failure nor any engine mechanical malfunction. A fuel sample from the right fuel tank appeared to be a mixture of auto gas and oil of the type commonly used for fuel in a two-stroke engine. The appearance of the fuel sample looked gold in color and had an oily feel to it when left to dry.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.