Cessna 414A accident near Harbor Springs, Michigan, January 9, 2005
On January 9, 2005 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 414A, registered N194JA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Harbor Springs, Michigan (Harbor Springs Airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation by his failure to remove the accumulated airframe ice which resulted in deteriorated aircraft takeoff performance. Airframe ice, the snow bank and the fence were contributing factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 9, 2005 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Harbor Springs, Michigan · Harbor Springs Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414A · all 414As on the register
- Registration
- N194JA · no longer on the register · serial 414A0837
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted a snow bank and fence during an aborted takeoff. The pilot landed about 15 minutes prior to the accident to pick-up his passengers. He stated that the airframe "encountered light ice" during his descent and he "activated the deice boots" during the instrument approach. The pilot reported that he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane prior to departing MGN. He stated that there was "no significant ice on the aircraft" during the preflight inspection. The pilot stated that when the airplane reached rotation speed during takeoff it "felt mushy" and he "immediately decided to abort the takeoff." The pilot stated that the aircraft slid on some snow at the departure end of the runway and impacted a snow bank and fence. Photos were taken by responding local law enforcement and FAA inspectors that show leading edge ice on the wings, horizontal stabilizer, and vertical stabilizer. An FAA inspector reported that the leading edge ice was about 1/4-inch thick. During preflight pilots should "remove all frost, snow, and ice from aircraft surfaces because even very small amounts may adversely affect the aerodynamic properties of a wing," according to a FAA publication. During preflight pilots should check the deice boots for "tears, abrasions, and cleanliness," according to the Cessna 414A Pilot Operating Handbook.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,019 hours in all; 628 in this make and model; 224 in the last 90 days; 71 in the last 30 days; 1,800 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,447.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2004; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,750 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Teledyne Continental TSIO-520-NB (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Teledyne Continental TSIO-520-NB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MGN Harbor Springs MI at 11:00 pm
- Destination: MNN Marion OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28, 4,157 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,900 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from MGN, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.