Cessna 172M accident near Southgate, Michigan, July 14, 1984
On July 14, 1984 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N20218, was substantially damaged in an accident near Southgate, Michigan (Detroit Metro airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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, 1984 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Southgate, Michigan · Detroit Metro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N20218 · registry record · serial 172-61104
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLT CLIMBED TO 8500 FT MSL TO PRACTICE MANEUVERS. HE THEN MADE A DESCENT TO 4500 FT & BEGAN HEADING BACK TO THE ARPT, THEN CONTINUED DESCENDING TO 1800 FT & ENTERED THE TCA. THE ENG LOST POWER APRX 7 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT. LATER, DURING AN INTERVIEW, THE PLT STATED THAT HE ONLY MOMENTARILY USED THE CARBURETOR HEAT WHEN HE BEGAN HIS DESCENT FROM 8000 TO 1800 FT MSL. DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING, THE PLT LANDED IN AN AREA WITH WEEDS ABOUT 1 FT TALL. HE WAS NOT AWARE OF A DITCH THAT CROSSED THE AREA UNTIL AFTER TOUCHDOWN. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT HIT THE FAR SIDE OF THE DITCH & NOSED OVER. THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 90 & 60 DEG. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, VISIBLE ICING WAS POSSIBLE IN FLOAT TYPE CARBURETORS.
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: 545 hours in all; 171 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 482 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,786 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, August 2, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:08 pm from DTW, 7 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.