An amateur-built aircraft accident near Greenville, Michigan, August 9, 1982
On August 9, 1982 at about 11:45 am local time, a an amateur-built aircraft, registered N39QB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greenville, Michigan (Greenville airport). 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 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
- August 9, 1982 · about 11:45 am local time
- Place
- Greenville, Michigan · Greenville
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- An amateur-built aircraft
- Registration
- N39QB · no longer on the register · serial 0053
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION. THE LAMINAR-FLOW WING AND CANARD WERE CAREFULLY WIPED FREE OF A HEAVY DEPOSIT OF DEW. ALL ITEMS OF INSPECTION WERE SATISFACTORY. THE ENGINE WAS WARMED UP WHILE TAXIING TO THE RUNWAY. IT WAS NOTED THAT BEADS OF MOISTURE WERE FORMING ON THE SURFACE OF THE CANARD, BUT THE WING COULD NOT BE OBSERVED FROM THE PILOT'S SEAT. DURING TAKEOFF, THE 18 HP ONAN ENGINE WAS TURNING AT 3100 RPM, "ALL OK." LIFT-OFF OCCURRED ABOUT MID-POINT OF THE RUNWAY. AFTER LEAVING GROUND EFFECT, THE CLIMB WAS EXTREMELY SLOW. THE PLANE BARELY CLEARED WIRES ABOUT 500 FT FROM THE RUNWAY. HOWEVER, THE PLANE WOULD NOT CLEAR TREES BEYOND THE WIRES. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE TREES THEN DROPPED TO THE GROUND. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE TEMPERATURE WAS 68 DEG. AND THE ELEVATION WAS 855 FT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,540 hours in all; 59 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 2,479 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 58 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 58 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Onan GAO-18 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6D6 Greenville MI at 7:45 am
- Destination: Port Huron MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 154°F (68°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.