Piper PA 28-180 accident near Frankenmuth, Michigan, September 18, 2013
On September 18, 2013 at about 11:20 pm local time, a 1967 Piper PA 28-180, registered N4756L, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Frankenmuth, Michigan (Wm 'Tiny' Zehnder Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An intermittent loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examinations revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 18, 2013 · about 11:20 pm local time · cases in 2013
- Place
- Frankenmuth, Michigan · Wm 'Tiny' Zehnder Field · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-180, built 1967 · all PA 28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4756L · registry record · serial 28-4086
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that an intermittent engine power loss occurred during the initial takeoff climb. Despite troubleshooting efforts, the engine continued to run intermittently as the pilot initiated a turn back toward the airport. The pilot attempted to land on the runway but then chose to conduct a forced landing to a hayfield. The airplane subsequently rolled into a cornfield and was substantially damaged. Postaccident examinations of the airframe, engine, and fuel system revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The recorded temperature and dew point at the time of the accident was conducive for the accumulation of carburetor icing during glide power settings. However, the intermittent engine power loss occurred while the airplane was at a high-throttle setting during initial climb, which was not consistent with carburetor icing.
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 engine power (partial) during initial climb
- Hard landing during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 72 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 40 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 28, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,837 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 18, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 SER (piston); 2,837 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 66G Frankenmuth MI at 11:18 pm
- Destination: 66G Frankenmuth MI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 11:34 pm from KHYX, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on May 7, 2014. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Examination of Engine by Mechanic | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Carburetor Icing Saib | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N4756L on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-28 Cherokee, Warrior, Archer and Arrow 18,623 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,842 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 SER · as the NTSB recorded it
- WM 'Tiny' Zehnder Field · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Michigan 2,107 since 1982 · 230 in the last ten years
- Michigan 7,226 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN13LA552.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.