Cessna 172 accident near Rose Township, Michigan, August 19, 1985
On August 19, 1985 at about 9:55 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N5146A, was destroyed in an accident near Rose Township, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- August 19, 1985 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- Rose Township, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N5146A · no longer on the register · serial 28146
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, SEVERAL WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT FLYING AT A VERY LOW ALT IN THE VICINITY OF THE CRASH SITE. THE CRASH SITE WAS LOCATED ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THE HOME OF THE PLT'S BROTHER. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ACFTS ENG WAS OPERATING NORMALLY PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE ACFT'S HORIZONTAL STABILIZER STRUCK THE TOP BRANCHES OF A TREE (APRX 60 FT TALL), THEN THE PLANE DID A WING-OVER & CRASHED IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. TOXICOLOGY TESTS OF THE PLT'S BLOOD & URINE SHOWED ALCOHOL LEVELS OF 0.068% & 0.062%, RESPECTIVELY.
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: 177 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,489 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 17, 1985; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PTK Pontiac MI at 9:33 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from PTK, 10 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.