North American AT6 accident near Mason, Michigan, May 18, 2016
On May 18, 2016 at about 7:20 pm local time, a 1943 North American AT6, registered N757LF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Mason, Michigan (Mason Jewett Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with a ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 2016 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Mason, Michigan · Mason Jewett Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American AT6 D, built 1943 · all AT6s on the register
- Registration
- N757LF · registry record · serial 84991
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll on runway 10, the airplane encountered a wind shift and gust. He stated that he added aileron flight control input to "counteract the wind shift" but that the airplane "veered/looped" to the left, exited the runway, and continued into a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing structure. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about 14 minutes after the accident, wind was from 00° at 5 knots, gusting to 14 knots. Given the evidence, the pilot likely lost directional control during the landing roll in gusting crosswind conditions.
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 landing (landing roll)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 25,581 hours in all; 89 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 22,082 as pilot in command; 711 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 12, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,343 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 8, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt And Whitney R-1340-51171 (piston); 6,535 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RMY Marshall MI at 6:55 pm
- Destination: TEW Mason MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 4,004 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 8:14 pm from KTEW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on September 19, 2019. 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, 7 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Site Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Weather Information | PDF, 6 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.