Piper PA-15 accident near Lakeview, Michigan, August 26, 2009
On August 26, 2009 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-15, registered N4585H, was destroyed in an accident during approach (VFR pattern crosswind) near Lakeview, Michigan (Lakeview Airport-Griffith Fiel). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 2009 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeview, Michigan · Lakeview Airport-Griffith Fiel · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-15 · all PA-15s on the register
- Registration
- N4585H · no longer on the register · serial 15-356
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was reportedly practicing takeoffs and landings. A witness reported seeing the airplane heading east from the airport when it then turned to the left and dove “as if it was dusting crops.” The airplane subsequently impacted the ground in a northerly direction. Impact damage and ground scars indicated that the airplane struck the ground in a nose-low, wings-level attitude at a high rate of speed. Examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact defects with regard to the airframe, engine, or control system.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR pattern crosswind) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Last flight review: August 8, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-145B SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 13C Lakeview MI at 11:45 pm
- Destination: 13C Lakeview MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from RQB, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN09LA549.