Piper J3C accident near Waterford, Michigan, May 18, 2007
On May 18, 2007 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Piper J3C, registered N28DR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Waterford, Michigan (Oakland-Pontiac airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane, causing a water loop. A factor in the accident was the water loop encountered.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 2007 · about 4:00 pm local time · cases in 2007
- Place
- Waterford, Michigan · Oakland-Pontiac · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C · all J3Cs on the register
- Registration
- N28DR · registry record · serial 21010
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The float plane's takeoff roll seemed longer than normal to the pilot. After he lifted off, he noticed a shimmy even though the aircraft was out of the water. He decided to abort the takeoff because he "still had plenty of water left to land on" ahead of him. The airplane touched down with the left float first. When the right float touched down, the airplane yawed hard to the right and water looped. Water conditions at the time of the accident were reported by the pilot as calm. An examination of the wreckage revealed no pre-impact anomalies.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 4,500 as pilot in command; 1,050 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,859 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C90-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Waterford MI
- Destination: Williams Lake
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KPTK, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N28DR the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N28DR on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper J-3 Cub 3,804 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,839 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental C90-12F 54 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Oakland County International · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Michigan 2,107 since 1982 · 230 in the last ten years
- Michigan 7,236 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N28DR 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CHI07CA149.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.