Mooney M20F accident near Plainwell, Michigan, June 5, 1982
On June 5, 1982 at about 8:50 pm local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N9577M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plainwell, Michigan (Otsego-Plainwell Mun. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- June 5, 1982 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Plainwell, Michigan · Otsego-Plainwell Mun.
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N9577M · registry record · serial 670154
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHEN HE ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, THE RADIOS DID NOT WORK. HE STATED THAT HE HAD HIS MIND ON THIS PROBLEM AND DID NOT PUT THE GEAR DOWN. ALSO, HE REPORTED THAT ON DOWNWIND, THE GEAR WARNING HORN DID NOT WORK, AND SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PROPELLER AND UNDERSIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE DAMAGED DURING A GEAR-UP LANDING. WHEN CHECKED, THE GEAR OPERATED NORMALLY AND THE GEAR WARNING DEVICE WOULD ACTIVATE WHEN THE THROTTLE WAS WITHIN 1/2 INCH FROM BEING FULLY CLOSED.
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
- Flight time: 450 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 370 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,845 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Jackson MI
- Destination: Plainwell MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 2,550 ft by 220 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.