Cessna 120 accident near Grandville, Michigan, May 15, 1983
On May 15, 1983 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Cessna 120, registered N3019N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grandville, Michigan (Shoemaker airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- May 15, 1983 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Grandville, Michigan · Shoemaker · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 120 · all 120s on the register
- Registration
- N3019N · registry record · serial 13277
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
REPORTEDLY, THE PLT INCREASED THE BANK ANGLE DURING A TURN TO ALIGN THE ACFT ON FINAL APCH, THEN THE PLANE LOST SPEED & STALLED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT IMPACTED THE GROUND APRX 480 FT SOUTHWEST OF THE RWY THRESHOLD. APRX 10 MI EAST AT GRAND RAPIDS, MI, THE 1700 EDT WIND WAS FROM 080 DEG AT 10, GUSTING 15 KTS. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE WIND AT THE ARPT WAS FROM THE NORTH NORTHWEST WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
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: 514 hours in all; 384 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 462 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,352 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 19, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C05 Grand Rapids MI at 9:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 2,250 ft by 170 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from GRR, 10 miles away
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.