Piper PA 28-181 accident near Pontiac, Michigan, December 6, 2015
On December 6, 2015, a 1977 Piper PA 28-181, registered N47480, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (IFR final approach) near Pontiac, Michigan (Oakland County Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s operation of the airplane below the glideslope and off course during a night, instrument approach, which resulted in a collision with trees and terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 6, 2015
- Place
- Pontiac, Michigan · Oakland County Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-181, built 1977 · all PA 28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N47480 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7890078
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private certificated pilot and pilot-rated passenger planned on conducting some practice instrument approaches. After conducting a practice approach and landing at a different airport, they departed for the flight back to the departure airport. Night instrument meteorological conditions existed, and the pilot expected to conduct an instrument approach. The tower controller cleared the airplane for the instrument approach to the runway. The pilot reported that the airplane was set up and configured for the approach and that, initially, the airplane was established on the localizer and glideslope; however, it then drifted off course. The pilot-rated passenger reported that he was looking outside the airplane as they passed the final approach fix. When he looked back inside at the instruments, he told the pilot that he was low and left of course. Subsequently, the airplane impacted trees and terrain and then came to rest in an open field. The accident is consistent with controlled flight into terrain due to the pilot flying the airplane below the glideslope and off course during an instrument approach.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during approach (IFR final approach) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › (general) › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 364.7 hours in all; 221.8 in this make and model; 9.3 in the last 90 days; 3.5 in the last 30 days; 251 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,721.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 5, 2015
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 SER (piston); 5,882 hours total
- Operator: Ixi LLC
The flight
- Departed from: 4D0 Grand Ledge MI at 11:54 pm
- Destination: KPTK Pontiac MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 09, 6,520 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 0.8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.59 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
9 documents, released by the NTSB on March 21, 2016. 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 | Pilot Rated Passenger Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Interviews | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Site Overview | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Photos (FAA on Site Photos) | PDF, 46 pages | View Download |
| 6 | 09R Instrument Approach | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | radar Track | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Weather Reports and Records | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 9 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N47480 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.