Hall Lancair IV-P accident near Vermontville, Michigan, May 31, 2004
On May 31, 2004 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Hall Lancair IV-P, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N707SH, was destroyed in an accident near Vermontville, Michigan. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of Air Route Traffic Control Center controllers to provide adverse weather avoidance assistance as required by FAA directives, which led to the airplane's encounter with a thunderstorm and subsequent loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to conduct flight into an area of known thunderstorms. "THIS CASE WAS MODIFIED 11/16/2006."
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 2004 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Vermontville, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Hall Lancair IV-P, amateur-built
- Registration
- N707SH · no longer on the register · serial LIV-363
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane flew into a thunderstorm during cruise flight and subsequently entered a flat spin until impact with terrain. The airplane had been given a heading to avoid the adverse weather by Lansing approach control. During transfer of control between Lansing approach and Cleveland center, the Cleveland controller was advised that the aircraft had been given a heading to avoid the adverse weather. After the handoff, the Cleveland controller instructed the pilot to proceed direct to an en-route fix when able, but did not provide any information about radar-observed weather ahead of the aircraft. The Chicago center controller who next handled the airplane was briefed that the airplane was proceeding direct to the en-route fix and had not requested any weather deviations. About seven minutes after the handoff between Cleveland and Chicago centers, the pilot transmitted, "Center this is uh 707SH what do you show us in up here?" Aircraft and weather radar data showed the accident airplane flew into an area of level six precipitation (extreme weather) prior to a rapid loss of altitude. Several witnesses reported first hearing the sound of a revving aircraft engine before seeing the airplane descending rapidly in a spiraling descent. A pilot-rated witness reported that the airplane was in a "flat spin" before impacting the terrain. Before the pilot departed on the accident flight, he was given a weather briefing that indicated his route of flight would take him into areas of thunderstorms, moderate turbulence, and icing. According to available pilot flight records, the pilot did not have a current biennial flight review and was not instrument current, as required by federal aviation regulations. No pre-impact anomalies were found with the airplane during the post-accident inspection. "THIS CASE WAS MODIFIED 11/16/2006."
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: 1,074 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 1,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 29, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 150 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 7, 2004; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental TSIO-550-E1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: YIP Ypsilanti MI at 5:30 pm
- Destination: BIL Billings MT
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 24 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.43 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from GRR, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N707SH the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.