Piper PA-28-140 accident near Niles, Michigan, March 8, 2002
On March 8, 2002 at about 4:22 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N5246T, was destroyed in an accident near Niles, Michigan (Jerry Tyler Meml airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Flight into known adverse weather conditions by the pilot and the spatial disorientation of pilot. Contributing factors were the lack of certification by the pilot and the weather conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 8, 2002 · about 4:22 am local time
- Place
- Niles, Michigan · Jerry Tyler Meml · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N5246T · no longer on the register · serial 28-7225370
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane, piloted by a noninstrument rated private pilot, impacted a snow covered wooded area approximately five minutes after departure. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane and accident pilot were flown to the departure airport by an instrument rated pilot under an instrument flight rules clearance in instrument meteorological conditions. After landing, the instrument rated pilot exited the airplane, and the accident pilot then took off. The instrument rated pilot then departed in another airplane approximately 10 minutes later. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any anomalies.
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: 550 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,320.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 28, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 3TR Niles MI
- Destination: DNV Danville IL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 110° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 1.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 am from SBN, 9 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.