Piper PA-28-140 accident near Port Huron, Michigan, March 16, 2001
On March 16, 2001 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N6532W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Port Huron, Michigan (St Clair County Intl 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot not maintaing a proper glide path during the simulated forced landing. Factors were flight instructor's inadequate supervision and the wind gusts.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 2001 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Port Huron, Michigan · St Clair County Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N6532W · no longer on the register · serial 28-20611
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain during a simulated forced landing approach. The pilot and flight instructor reported no injuries. The pilot stated, "After extensive training in flight the last maneuver was to be 'Simulated Engine Failure to a Power-Off Landing on Rwy. 04 at PHN'. Three quarters of the way down wind for runway 04@1400 MSL, the flight instructor pulled the throttle to an idle setting. The pilot immediately established best glide speed of 85 m.p.h., turning directly to runway 04. Approximately 75' AGL wind sheer was encountered. The student immediately responded full throttle and nose pitch down. However, the aircraft impacted the ground causing damage to the airframe. Both pilot and CFI walked to terminal to report the incident." The pilot stated that no mechanical malfunction failure occurred. The weather was: Wind 030 degrees at 13 knots gusting to 19knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition clear; temperature 0 degrees C; dew point -4 degrees C; altimeter 29.92 inches of mercury.
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: 562 hours in all; 540 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 3, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot (unmanned)
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,400 hours in all; 450 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 30, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PHN Port Huron MI at 2:15 pm
- Destination: PHN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 5,103 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 pm from PHN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.