Convair 240 accident near Detroit, Michigan, May 29, 1982
On May 29, 1982 at about 8:03 am local time, a Convair 240, registered N153PA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Detroit, Michigan (Detroit Metropolitan airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 1982 · about 8:03 am local time
- Place
- Detroit, Michigan · Detroit Metropolitan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Convair 240
- Registration
- N153PA · registry record · serial 304
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CAPTAIN STATED THAT DURING AN ILS APPROACH, HE SAW THE APPROACH LIGHTS ABOUT 3 MILES FROM THE TOUCHDOWN POINT. REPORTEDLY, THE PLANE WAS ON THE GLIDE SLOPE AND LOCALIZER AS HE CONTINUED ON FINAL APPROACH. AFTER PASSING MINUMUMS, THE AIRCRAFT WENT INTO A FOG LAYER. THE CAPTAIN LOST FORWARD VISIBILITY AND ELECTED TO G0-AROUND. DURING THE GO-AROUND, THE CAPTAIN MADE A SHALLOW LEFT TURN AND CALLED FOR APPROACH FLAPS. AS THE FLAPS RAISED, THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED AND THE MAIN GEAR CONTACTED THE GROUND. AT THAT TIME, THE CAPTAIN MOVED THE THROTTLES TO IDLE. WHILE ROLLING OUT IN AN AREA OF GRASS BETWEEN 2 RUNWAYS, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. DURING THE INVESTIGATION, THE FLAPS WERE FOUND AT A 10 DEGREE SETTING. THE CAPTAIN STATED THAT THE FLAPS SHOULD HAVE BEEN PLACED AT 16.5 DEGREES FOR THE GO-AROUND.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,500 hours in all; 7,500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,448 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 42,000 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-2800 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Buffalo NY at 1:30 am
- Destination: Detroit MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 8,700 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 0 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 133°F (56°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
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.