Piper PA-22-150 N2440P

Summary

On 2 December 1989 at about 04:45 local time, a Piper PA-22-150 registered N2440P was involved in an accident near Engadine, Michigan, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 December 1989 at 04:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Engadine, Michigan, United States

Coordinates

46.1544, -85.6636

Aircraft

Piper PA-22-150

Registration

N2440P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cheboygan → Escanaba

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CHI90LA280

1 person died.

A collision with trees and the terrain for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane impacted trees and the terrain in a heavily wooded swamp. The airplane departed on a night cross country flight on December 1, 1989, and failed to arrive at its destination. At 2312, the pilot contacted a flight service station while en route for the forecast weather along his route. At 2342, the pilot contacted the Minneapolis Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZMP) and stated that he was "a little disoriented and would like a [transponder] code and a heading toward Sault Ste Marie (ANJ), Michigan." Two transponder codes were assigned to N2440P, but attempts to establish radar contact were not successful. The last communication with N2440P was at 2345 when the pilot informed ZMP that their transmissions were "pretty weak." A witness who reported seeing an airplane flying at tree-top level stated there was heavy snow in the area at the time. The wreckage was located by hunters on October 12, 2002. The airplane descended through the trees for approximately 150 feet on a northeasterly heading prior to coming to rest in a nearly inverted attitude. Flight control continuity was established. The engine separated from the airframe at the engine mounts. The engine was buried in the swamp with approximately 1 1/2 inches of one propeller blade being visible. There were no immediate plans to remove the wreckage from the swamp.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.