Piper PA-28-140 accident near Detroit, Michigan, September 13, 2004
On September 13, 2004 at about 8:48 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N7662C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Detroit, Michigan (Detroit City Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing flare and subsequent go-around. A factor was the T-hangar.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 2004 · about 8:48 pm local time
- Place
- Detroit, Michigan · Detroit City Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N7662C · no longer on the register · serial 28-7625079
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane became embedded in a T-hangar following a loss of directional control during a landing/go-around. The student pilot stated he performed three full stop takeoffs and landings, and the accident occurred during the fourth landing. He stated the airplane veered sharply to the left as he was beginning to flare so he added power to go-around. The airplane did not gain altitude and it kept veering to the left. The student pilot stated he decided to extend the flaps and the last thing he remembers is reaching for the flap handle. The airplane contacted a T-hangar which was located off the left side of the runway, coming to rest embedded in the T-hangar approximately 10 feet above the ground. The local winds reported at 1653 were from 140 degrees at 11 knots. The local winds reported at 1707 were from 120 degrees at 10 knots. Inspection of the airplane failed to reveal any flight control failure/malfunction that would have resulted in the accident. The student pilot reported having 39.6 total hours of flight time, 5.5 hours of which were solo.
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: student
- Flight time: 40 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DET Detroit MI at 8:00 pm
- Destination: DET Detroit MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.