Amateur-built MURPHY REBEL accident near Saint Johns, Michigan, October 24, 1999
On October 24, 1999 at about 4:30 pm local time, a amateur-built MURPHY REBEL, registered N8160X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Saint Johns, Michigan (Schiffer Acres Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot not maintaining altitude and clearance. Factors were the trees, the flap control not fully engaged, and the pilot's lack of total experience in the kind of airplane flown.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 24, 1999 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Saint Johns, Michigan · Schiffer Acres Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built MURPHY REBEL MURPHY REB
- Registration
- N8160X · no longer on the register · serial 464
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he attempted a 3-point landing with 30 degrees of flaps. He said a gust of wind blew him up about 10 feet and another gust turned him 90 degrees to the left. He said that he started a go around with the airplane with flaps at 30 degrees. He reduced the airplane's flaps to 10 degrees. He stated the flap lever released from the 10-degree setting and that he must not have set the flap lever all the way down in its notch. The pilot said the plane sunk about 5 feet and the airplane's tail hit the top of the trees first. The pilot listed 4.4 hours of total flight time in this make and model airplane.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 91 hours in all; 4 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 97G Saint Johns MI at 5:00 pm
- Destination: 3S5 MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,425 ft by 120 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from LAN, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.