Cessna 172 accident near Port Hope, Michigan, November 7, 1982
On November 7, 1982 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N5301D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Port Hope, Michigan (Air Port Hope 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 7, 1982 · about 8:30 pm local time · cases in 1982
- Place
- Port Hope, Michigan · Air Port Hope · cases near this airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N5301D · no longer on the register · serial 17272553
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ESTIMATED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM 210 TO 220 DEG AT 15 KTS. HE REPORTED THAT THE GRASS RUNWAY WAS SOFT AND WET. FOR TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 18, HE USED 10 DEG OF FLAPS AND ABOUT 1/2 OF THE AVAILABLE AILERON WHILE USING A SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF PROCEDURE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ENCOUNTERED A SUDDEN GUST OF WIND AND THE PLANE BEGAN TO DRIFT LEFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH TREES.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 113 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 84 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 714 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 164 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6Y2 Port Hope MI at 3:29 pm
- Destination: Pontiac MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 215° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 131°F (55°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from MBS, 56 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N5301D: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,680 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD 83 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Candlelight Heliport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Michigan 2,107 since 1982 · 230 in the last ten years
- Michigan 7,224 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CHI83LA035.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.