Piper PA-32-300 accident near Plymouth, Michigan, October 20, 2002
On October 20, 2002 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N56655, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plymouth, Michigan (Canton - Plymouth - Mettetal 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 maintaining directional control during landing and the inoperative right main landing gear brake. Contributing factors were the failed brake master cylinder seal, resulting in a hydraulic leak, the inadequate preflight by the pilot, the fuel fire, and the pilot intentionally operating the airplane with a known brake system problem.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 2002 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Plymouth, Michigan · Canton - Plymouth - Mettetal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N56655 · registry record · serial 32-7440012
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane received substantial damage when it struck a visual approach slope indicator light after a loss of control during landing. A fire subsequently erupted and was extinguished by the pilot and airport personnel. The pilot reported that during the landing his right brake was not working. He stated that he attempted to stop using the left brake and compensating with rudder. The aircraft veered to the right, departed the runway, and struck a visual approach slope indicator light. The pilot stated he had maintenance performed on the brakes twice in the previous 2 months, at which time the mechanic bled the lines and added fluid. He stated that he had flown the airplane the day before with no problems. Subsequent to the accident, a seal in the brake master cylinder was found defective.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 277 hours in all; 156 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 211 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 13, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,049.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2003; 137.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540KIA5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 8D4 Sparta MI at 2:30 pm
- Destination: 1D2 Plymouth MI
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 36, 2,556 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from DTW, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.