Pietenpol AIRCAMPER accident near Midland, Michigan, May 23, 2020
On May 23, 2020 at about 9:49 pm local time, a 2016 Pietenpol AIRCAMPER, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N9863Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (aborted after touchdown) near Midland, Michigan (Jack Barstow airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of control during an aborted landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 2020 · about 9:49 pm local time
- Place
- Midland, Michigan · Jack Barstow · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pietenpol AIRCAMPER, built 2016, amateur-built · all AIRCAMPERs on the register
- Registration
- N9863Z · registry record · serial JW4352
- 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 the airplane "bounced twice" as he was attempting to land on the asphalt runway. He decided to execute a go-around and applied full engine power. However, the airplane "did not lift out of ground effect" and a wheel "caught the grass" causing a ground loop. The pilot noted that the accident might have been prevented by leveling off to allow the airspeed to increase before attempting to climb. He reported a variable wind at 10 knots with gusts to 15 knots. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (aborted after touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (aborted after touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 152 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 30, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 152 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 31, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors A-65 (piston); 152 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IKW Midland MI at 9:02 pm
- Destination: IKW Midland MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06, 3,801 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; scat at 3,800 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from IKW, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN20CA191.