Consolidated Aeronautics INC. LAKE LA-4-200 accident near Mio, Michigan, June 28, 2021
On June 28, 2021 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1979 Consolidated Aeronautics INC. LAKE LA-4-200, registered N963L, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Mio, Michigan (Oscoda County Dennis Kauffman 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to abort the takeoff roll when the engine did not produce full power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 2021 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mio, Michigan · Oscoda County Dennis Kauffman · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Consolidated Aeronautics INC. LAKE LA-4-200, built 1979 · all LAKE LA-4-200s on the register
- Registration
- N963L · no longer on the register · serial 963
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot performed a preflight inspection of the airplane and an engine run-up before departing on a personal flight. During the takeoff roll, the tachometer indicated 200 rpm below normal, which was an indication that the engine was not producing full power. The pilot continued the takeoff, and after liftoff, the airplane would not accelerate. The airplane descended and impacted terrain resulting in substantial damage to both wings. The low engine power indication should have prompted the pilot to abort the takeoff, which would have avoided the accident. A postaccident examination of the engine was not performed because the airplane owner did not make the engine available.
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 engine power (partial) during takeoff defining event
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Powerplant parameters › Related operating info
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › (general) › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 408 hours in all; 107 in this make and model; 289 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 30, 2019
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,077.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 5, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 2,960 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
The flight
- Destination: Lewiston MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 12,000 ft; clear at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.16 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from KY31, 26 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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 CEN21LA294.