Cessna 177RG accident near Manistee, Michigan, August 5, 2014
On August 5, 2014 at about 7:10 pm local time, a 1971 Cessna 177RG, registered N468LE, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Manistee, Michigan (Manistee County-Blacker airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot receiving instruction's inability to respond to or compensate for the sudden change in wind direction and speed that the airplane encountered shortly after liftoff, which resulted in a tailwind condition, a corresponding decrease in airspeed, and a reduced climb gradient.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 2014 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Manistee, Michigan · Manistee County-Blacker · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG, built 1971 · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N468LE · no longer on the register · serial 177RG0158
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that the departure airport's weather station was inoperative during his preflight check of the weather conditions and, as such, he referenced the airport's windsock to select the runway for takeoff. As the airplane taxied from the ramp area, the windsock indicated a light variable wind primarily from the east. Believing that the wind was light and variable, the flight instructor told his student, a private pilot who was receiving flight instruction, to depart on runway 19 because the intended destination was south of the departure airport. The flight instructor reported that the student used a short-field takeoff procedure for the takeoff. The airplane became airborne with about 1,000 ft of runway remaining; however, during the initial climb, about 5 to 10 ft above the runway, the airplane experienced a sudden loss of airspeed and began to sink back toward the runway. The airplane touched down at the runway departure threshold and continued down an embankment into a tree line. Following the accident, the flight instructor noted that the airport's windsock was indicating a north-to-northwest wind direction with wind gusts reaching 18 to 20 knots. He stated that the apparent wind change had resulted in a tailwind condition during the accident takeoff. Additionally, he reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have prevented its normal operation. The reported sudden change in wind direction and speed during initial climb would have resulted in a tailwind condition, a corresponding decrease in airspeed, and a reduced climb gradient.
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
- Other weather encounter during takeoff
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Sudden wind shift › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Sudden wind shift › Ability to respond/compensate
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 131 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 15, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 471 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 68 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 281 as pilot in command; 105 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 9, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,531 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 24, 2014; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 3,531 hours total
- Operator: Great Lakes Air Ventures, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: MBL Manistee MI at 7:10 pm
- Destination: LDM Ludington MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 2,721 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,500 ft; scat at 3,800 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 pm from LDM, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on December 7, 2015. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Flight Instructor Statement (Scott Mason) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot-receiving-instruction Statement (Chad Paalman) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Email Correspondence with FAA Inspector Thomas Kozura | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 5 | NTSB Weather Summary | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.