Cessna 152 N68610

Summary

On 26 May 1996 at about 16:30 local time, a Cessna 152 registered N68610 was involved in an accident near Mount Pleasant, 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

26 May 1996 at 16:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Mount Pleasant, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Mount Pleasant Municipal (MOP)

Coordinates

43.5903, -84.7710

Aircraft

Cessna 152

Registration

N68610

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pontiac → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI96FA172

2 people died.

loss of aircraft control by the pilot, due to cardiac arrest (heart attack).

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane crashed in an area that corresponded to the base leg of the traffic pattern to an uncontrolled airport. Three witness, who observed the airplane just before impact, said that it was at low altitude with slow airspeed, when it entered a steep descent and crashed. None of the three witnesses heard the sound of the engine, although all three were in vehicles when the accident occurred. Both the pilot and the passenger were fatally injured during the accident. Examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact anomalies with the airplane. Examination of the propeller revealed evidence of rotational damage during impact. According to a medical examiner, the pilot 'had significant heart disease, suggestive of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which can be associated with sudden death.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.