Plane Crash List

Piper PA-24-250 N6919P

11 December 1991 · Berrien Springs, Michigan, United States · Fatal

Summary

On 11 December 1991 at about 23:27 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N6919P, operated by Hovious, M.;Vanlinder;Crawford, was involved in an accident near Berrien Springs, Michigan, United States. 3 people were on board and one died, 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 23:27
Classification
Accident
Location
Berrien Springs, Michigan, United States
Coordinates
41.9391, -86.3407
Aircraft
Piper PA-24-250
Registration
N6919P
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Hovious, M.;Vanlinder;Crawford
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Business
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Bates City → Kalamazoo
Aircraft damage
Destroyed
Weather
VMC
Light
Night/Dark
NTSB number
CHI92FA053

People

1 person died.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
3 1 2 0 0

Probable cause

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S (CFI'S) POOR IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION-MAKING AND MISJUDGED FUEL SUPPLY/CONSUMPTION. A RELATED FACTOR IS OVERCONFIDENCE IN PERSONAL ABILITY.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT-RATED PASSENGERS REPORTED THE AIRPLANE WAS LOW ON FUEL AS THEY NEARED THEIR DESTINATION. THEY DISCUSSED AN INTERMEDIATE FUEL STOP, BUT DECIDED THEY HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL TO REACH THEIR DESTINATION. THE AIRPLANE WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT APPROXIMATELY 80 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION AIRPORT WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT SWITCHED FROM THE RIGHT FUEL TANK TO THE LEFT TANK AND THE ENGINE RESTARTED. SEVERAL MINUTES LATER THE ENGINE LOST POWER AGAIN. RESTART ATTEMPTS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL, AND THE PILOT TURNED TOWARDS THE NEAREST AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES ABOUT 1 1/2 MILES SHORT OF THE LANDING RUNWAY. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF USEABLE FUEL IN THE AIRPLANE FUEL SYSTEM. THE PASSENGERS REPORTED IT WAS A DARK NIGHT, AND THE AIRPLANE HIT THE TREES AFTER TURNING TO AVOID AN AREA WITH RESIDENTIAL LIGHTS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-24 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
30 Oct 1991 Piper PA-24-250
N6815P
Ellicott, Colorado, United States Southwest Aircraft Recovery Minor injuries -
3 Feb 1991 Piper PA-24-260
N9209P
Cordele, Georgia, United States Carter, Richard C. Fatal 3
30 Mar 1991 Piper PA-24-250
N7457P
Franklin, Tennessee, United States Hannasch, Thomas P. Fatal 1
12 Nov 1991 Piper PA-24-260
N9161P
Charles City, Iowa, United States Culbert Aeronautics No injuries -
1 Dec 1991 Piper PA-24-180
N5174P
Sandston, Virginia, United States Michael Kroll Serious injuries -
15 Sep 1991 Piper PA-24-260
N8888P
Tehachapi, California, United States James W. Hager No injuries -

All 2,700 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
25 Apr 1991 Cessna 172
N66717
Detroit, Michigan, United States
no coordinates
Eximous Flying Club, Inc. No injuries -
5 May 1991 Robinson R22 BETA
N2360K
Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States Lutz, Robert A Minor injuries -
10 May 1991 Cessna 182L
N2432Q
Port Huron, Michigan, United States Douglas H. Mowat No injuries -
11 May 1991 Cessna 152
N69101
Pontiac, Michigan, United States Kitze Avaition, Inc. No injuries -
22 May 1991 Cessna 177
N548EC
New Lothrop, Michigan, United States Patrick J. Corcoran No injuries -
10 Oct 1991 Cessna 421B
N100CA
Battle Creek, Michigan, United States Aviation Specialist, Inc. No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States