Piper J4E accident near Troy, Michigan, October 12, 1983
On October 12, 1983 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper J4E, registered N35695, was substantially damaged in an accident near Troy, Michigan (Troy-Oakland airport). It was an instructional 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 October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 12, 1983 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Troy, Michigan · Troy-Oakland
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J4E · all J4Es on the register
- Registration
- N35695 · registry record · serial 4-1400
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT DEPARTED THE SIDE OF THE RWY DURING LANDING AND NOSED OVER. A PRIVATE PILOT WAS BEING ACCOMPANIED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT WHOSE CFI CIRTIFICATE HAD EXPIRED. DURING LANDING ROLL THE PRIVATE PILOT BEGAN 'S' TURNS FOR BETTER FORWARD VISIBILITY. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT TRIED TO CORRECT THE TURNS BEING UNAWARE OF THE INTENTION OF THEM. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR WENT OFF THE SIDE OF THE RWY INTO SOFT GROUND AND THE ACFT NOSED OVER. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT SAID HE IS TAKING RESPONSIBILITY AS PIC 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,757 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 78 in the last 90 days; 1,612 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,279 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A75 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,855 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 170° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from PTK, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.