Aero Vodochody Aero Works L-39C N7868M

Summary

On 3 July 1998 at about 22:45 local time, a Aero Vodochody Aero Works L-39C registered N7868M was involved in an accident near Traverse City, Michigan, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

3 July 1998 at 22:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Traverse City, Michigan, United States

Coordinates

44.7609, -85.6992

Aircraft

Aero Vodochody Aero Works L-39C

Registration

N7868M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI98FAMS1

2 people died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane took off at 1831 edt. At 1844 edt, the tower controller asked the pilot of the airplane for a position report. The pilot replied that he was 27 miles northeast of the airport tracking the 246 degree radial. The pilot told the tower that he would call them again when he got within five miles [of the airport]. The airplane was tracked by air traffic control radar making a turn and tracking due west at 300 miles per hour. The airplane was tracked to a position of 344 degrees at 31.1 miles off the Traverse City (TVC) VOR. Radar contact was lost as the airplane approached South Fox Island (TVC VOR 177 degree radial at 9.6 miles). One minute and 20 seconds after radar contact was lost, a fast moving primary target was tracked to a position 9 miles north of South Fox Island, where the target was lost. A search for the airplane was initiated at 2057 edt. On July 4, 1998, at 2235 edt, search operations were suspended.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.