Cessna 402B accident near Sturgis, Michigan, February 9, 2004
On February 9, 2004 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 402B, registered N6387X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sturgis, Michigan (Kirsch Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure to maintain obstacle clearance during an intentional low altitude maneuver and the ostentatious display by the pilot-in-command. A factor to the accident was the tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 9, 2004 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sturgis, Michigan · Kirsch Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402B · all 402Bs on the register
- Registration
- N6387X · registry record · serial 1350
- 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 when it impacted a tree during low altitude maneuvering. The pilot-in-command decided to over fly a friend's house. The pilot-in-command executed a steep left turn for 360 degrees and leveled the airplane just above the tree line. The pilot saw a large pine tree about 30 feet ahead of the airplane. The pilot-in-command began to pull up on the airplane but it impacted the tree causing serious injuries to the pilot. The pilot rated passenger took control of the airplane and landed without further incident. The pilot rated passenger reported that neither he nor the pilot-in-command were using their shoulder harnesses at the time of the accident.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,400 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 2,300 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 14, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,096 hours in all; 106 in this make and model; 78 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 2,034 as pilot in command; 359 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 14, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,792 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 2, 2004; 7.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KBTL Sturgis MI at 8:10 pm
- Destination: KIRS Sturgis MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,421 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 13 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 8:36 pm from KIRS, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.