Cessna 177 accident near Sturgis, Michigan, February 14, 2004
On February 14, 2004 at about 10:24 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N3468T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sturgis, Michigan (Kirsch Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadvertent raising of flaps resulting in a loss of lift and his failure to maintain aircraft control resulting in a dragging of the wing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 14, 2004 · about 10:24 pm local time
- Place
- Sturgis, Michigan · Kirsch Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N3468T · registry record · serial 1770768
- 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 a runway during an attempted go-around. The pilot reported that on his third practice landing, at approximately 5-10 feet above ground level, he was aligned just left of the center of the runway with the right wing tip slightly down, when he unexpectedly experienced a small gust of wind. The pilot stated that he attempted a go-around by applying full power and retrimming the airplane. The airplane momentarily began to gain altitude but the pilot mistakenly retracted all the flaps. The airplane settled back to the ground and the right wing tip impacted the runway. The pilot stated that he over corrected causing the left wing tip to impact the runway. The airplane exited the runway coming to a full-stop in snow to the east side of the runway.
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: 134 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 134 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 31, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,227.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 24, 2003; 27.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IRS Sturgis MI at 9:30 pm
- Destination: IRS Sturgis MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 5,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,300 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 pm from OEB, 19 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.