Piper PA-20 accident near Mason, Michigan, July 14, 1983
On July 14, 1983, a Piper PA-20, registered N6996K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mason, Michigan (Bergeon airport). It was an instructional 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
- July 14, 1983
- Place
- Mason, Michigan · Bergeon
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20 · all PA-20s on the register
- Registration
- N6996K · no longer on the register · serial 20-104
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT & INSTRUCTOR PLT (CFI) WERE PRACTICING LANDINGS IN THE STUDENT'S ACFT, WHICH WAS EQUIPPED WITH BRAKES ONLY ON THE LEFT SIDE. REPORTEDLY, THE STUDENT FLARED HIGH DURING A LANDING & THE CFI ADDED POWER TO RECOVER. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE ROLL-OUT WAS USING A LARGE PART OF THE RWY, SO THE CFI ASKED THE STUDENT TO APPLY BRAKES TO SLOW THE ACFT. THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED UNEVENLY, AND SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLANE VEERED TO THE RIGHT & THE RIGHT WING WAS ULTIMATELY 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 691 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 645 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,200 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from LAN, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
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.