Aviation Crash Map

Piper PA-28R-180 N4988J

28 August 2002 · Newaygo, Michigan, United States · Fatal

Summary

On 28 August 2002 at about 22:49 local time, a Piper PA-28R-180 registered N4988J was involved in an accident near Newaygo, Michigan, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 22:49
Classification
Accident
Location
Newaygo, Michigan, United States
Coordinates
43.4667, -85.7500
Aircraft
Piper PA-28R-180
Registration
N4988J
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Business
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Traverse City → Three Rivers
Aircraft damage
Destroyed
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
CHI02FA262

People

3 people died.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
3 3 0 0 0

Probable cause

The altitude/clearance disregarded by the pilot and his ostentatious display. The wire and low altitude flight were a contributing factor.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane impacted a power line over a river and then sunk into 25-30 feet of water. A witness saw the airplane fly over a dam upstream of the accident site, swooping down to an extremely low altitude. Another witness saw the airplane flying at an altitude of 20 feet above the river prior to impacting the power lines. Examination of the wreckage revealed no anomalies which would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-28R accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
16 Jun 2002 Piper PA-28R-200
N15143
Bethlehem, Georgia, United States - No injuries -
19 Aug 2002 Piper PA-28R-200
N7794C
Echo Summit, California, United States - Fatal 2
29 Sep 2002 Piper PA-28R-200
N2963R
Irvington, Alabama, United States - Minor injuries -
20 Nov 2002 Piper PA-28R-201
N850FS
Tooele, Utah, United States - No injuries -
9 Oct 2002 Piper PA-28R-200
N22DB
Cullman, Alabama, United States Gary Self Minor injuries -
17 Feb 2002 Piper PA-28R-200
N9302N
Fredericksburg, Virginia, United States - No injuries -

All 1,342 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
5 May 2002 Yoder GP-4
N59JY
Mount Pleasant, Michigan, United States
no coordinates
- Fatal 2
4 Jul 2002 Beechcraft A-23-23
N3545R
Monroe, Michigan, United States - No injuries -
11 Nov 2002 Cessna 175
N7091M
Unknown, Michigan, United States
no coordinates
- Fatal 2
13 Jul 2002 Cessna 150H
N6912S
Mecosta, Michigan, United States - No injuries -
27 Aug 2002 Schweizer SGS-126E
N126CR
Ionia, Michigan, United States - No injuries -
11 Jul 2002 Cessna 310R
N5061J
Jackson, Michigan, United States - Minor injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States