Piper PA-31-350 accident near Romulus, Michigan, November 15, 1999
On November 15, 1999 at about 5:13 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N4UE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Romulus, Michigan (Detroit Metropolitan Arpt airport). It was a positioning 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 inadvertent wheels-up landing by the pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 1999 · about 5:13 pm local time
- Place
- Romulus, Michigan · Detroit Metropolitan Arpt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N4UE · no longer on the register · serial 8152061
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot's written statement, on short final to runway 03R he extended full flaps and retarded the engines at which time the gear warning horn sounded. The pilot reported, '...heard gear warning horn but before action could be taken, props [propellers] struck runway. Aircraft slid to a stop on runway. Shut down & secured aircraft.'
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 330 hours in all; 41 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days; 250 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,331 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 12, 1999; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TVC Traverse City MI at 4:00 pm
- Destination: DTW
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 3R, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 24,000 ft; scat at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from DTW
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.