Piper PA28-140 accident near Three Oaks, Michigan, February 13, 1983
On February 13, 1983 at about 5:20 am local time, a Piper PA28-140, registered N6487W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Three Oaks, Michigan (Oselka airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- February 13, 1983 · about 5:20 am local time
- Place
- Three Oaks, Michigan · Oselka
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-140 · all PA28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N6487W · no longer on the register · serial 28-20562
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A WIRE DURING THE LANDING APPROACH AND LANDED HARD ENOUGH TO COLLAPSE THE NOSE GEAR. ACCORDING TO THE OWNER THE FLT WAS NOT AUTHORIZED AND THE PERSON AT THE CONTROLS HELD NO PILOT CERTIFICATE. THE PILOT MADE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT, 'I WAS SIMPLY TOO LOW AND THE RIGHT WHEEL CAUGHT THE ELECTRIC WIRE WHICH FORCED THE PLANE NOSE OVER, AT WHICH TIME ALL I COULD DO WAS PULL THE RUDDER ALL THE WAY BACK TO KEEP FROM LANDING ON THE NOSE. AS IT HAPPENED I LANDED IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION BUT I HIT TOO HARD AND BROKE OFF THE NOSE WHEEL.'
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 30, 1982; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,770 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.