Ostego-Plainwell Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Plainwell, Michigan 49080
Thursday, May 26, 1988 22:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING AN UNAUTHORIZED FLIGHT OF UNKNOWN DURATION, BY PERSON(S) UNKNOWN, AIRCRAFT CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED BY A WITNESS TO 'WOBBLE' AS IT APPROACHED THE RUNWAY. THE WITNESS THEN SAW THE AIRCRAFT 'CRASH' INTO THE GRASS AT THE LEFT SIDE OF THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT/OCCUPANT(S) OF THE AIRCRAFT HAD ABANDONED IT BY THE TIME POLICE AND THE WITNESS ARRIVED ON THE SCENE. POLICE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES. INJURY INDEX PRESUMED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/26/1988
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2200
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PLAINWELL
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49080
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport OSTEGO-PLAINWELL MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 61D
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 722
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2245 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 168
Weather Observation Facility ID AZO
Elevation of weather observation facility 874
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 407
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 27 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36284
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:44AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N20389
NTSB Number CHI88LA118
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172M
Aircraft Series Identifier 172M
Aircraft Serial Number 17261258
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 23 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 3527
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MASON, BRUCE L.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 512 WORDEN ST.
Aircraft Owner City KALAMAZOO
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49009
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 61D
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --