Piper PA-22 accident near Berrien Springs, Michigan, July 9, 1983
On July 9, 1983 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-22, registered N3504Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Berrien Springs, Michigan (Berrien Springs airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- July 9, 1983 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Berrien Springs, Michigan · Berrien Springs
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N3504Z · registry record
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT WHEN HE LANDED, THE WIND WAS VARIABLE FROM WEST TO NORTH AT 12 TO 15 KTS. HE STATED THAT AFTER TOUCHDOWN, HE HELD THE TAIL UP IN THE SLIP STREAM. REPORTEDLY, DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS GOOD UNTIL THE ACFT ENTERED AN AREA THAT WAS NOT PROTECTED BY TREES ON THE WEST SIDE. AT THAT POINT, THE ACFT SWERVED INTO THE WIND. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT RAN INTO A CORN FIELD BESIDE THE RWY & WAS DAMAGED.
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: 387 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 340 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C20 Berrien Springs MI at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,120 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 12 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.