Cessna A185F accident near Bad Axe, Michigan, December 12, 1983
On December 12, 1983 at about 6:05 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N7560H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bad Axe, Michigan (Huron CO. Memorial airport). It was a personal 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
- December 12, 1983 · about 6:05 pm local time
- Place
- Bad Axe, Michigan · Huron CO. Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N7560H · registry record · serial 18503396
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ARRIVAL, THE PLT WAS ADVISED BY THE UNICOM OPERATOR THAT RWY 21 WAS THE ACTIVE RWY. SOON AFTER LANDING, A PASSENGER BOARDED THE ACFT & THE PLT TOOK OFF AGAIN. HE PROCEEDED TO MAKE A PATTERN AROUND THE ARPT & INITIATED ANOTHER LANDING ON RWY 21. THE WIND WAS FROM 290 DEG AT 16 GUSTING 20 KTS. WHILE LANDING WITH A X-WIND, THE PLT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, THE ACFT ENTERED A GROUND LOOP & THE LEFT MAIN GEAR FAILED. THE ARPT HAD 2 TURF RWYS, RWY 9/27 WHICH WAS 1810 FT LONG & RWY 15/33 WHICH WAS 2000 FT LONG.
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: 761 hours in all; 374 in this make and model; 92 in the last 90 days; 712 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 964 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 6, 1983; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 16 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft; not recorded at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from 76D
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.