Amateur-built Bade-E accident near Escanaba, Michigan, August 2, 2018
On August 2, 2018 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 2014 amateur-built Bade-E, registered N142NV, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Escanaba, Michigan (Delta County Airport). 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 loss of control during the landing rollout for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence, which resulted in a ground loop and runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 2018 · about 11:00 pm local time · cases in 2018
- Place
- Escanaba, Michigan · Delta County Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Bade-E, built 2014
- Registration
- N142NV · registry record · serial GDC1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing the experimental, amateur-built, tailwheel-equipped airplane on a dry runway. During the rollout, the airplane veered to the left when the tailwheel was lowered to the runway. Both wingtips contacted the runway surface; the airplane ground looped and exited the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the forward section of the fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right steering cable chain was broken and hanging from the tailwheel. It could not be determined if the cable broke before or during the accident sequence.
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 on ground during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Flight time: 1,400 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 55 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 2, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A80 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ESC Escanaba MI at 11:30 pm
- Destination: ESC Escanaba MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 5,016 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from ESC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on January 31, 2020. 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 | Memorandum for the Record Information from Pilot CEN18LA307 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for the Record FAA Inspector Findings CEN18LA307 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array CEN18LA307 | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | 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
- N142NV on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Engine: Continental A80 54 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Delta County · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Michigan 2,107 since 1982 · 230 in the last ten years
- Michigan 7,230 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN18LA307.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.