Piper PA-28-181 accident near Ypsilanti, Michigan, August 28, 2005
On August 28, 2005 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N8103V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ypsilanti, Michigan. 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 failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in his inability to properly flare the airplane and the subsequent hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 2005 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ypsilanti, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8103V · no longer on the register · serial 28-8090118
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane experienced a hard landing while landing on a private grass airstrip. The pilot reported, "... we crossed the electric wires and as soon as we were across we made a slight dip in flight to get down... ." He reported he then pulled back on the control yoke to flare and added power to increase the pitch attitude; however, the engine power did not increase. The pilot reported the airplane "...made a very hard landing" during which the left main and nose gear collapsed. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures/malfunctions of the airplane.
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: 600 hours in all; 600 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ADG Adrian MI at 7:40 pm
- Destination: PVT Ypsilanti MI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 12 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from YIP
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.