Cessna 170A accident near Fruitport, Michigan, September 6, 1985
On September 6, 1985 at about 10:05 pm local time, a Cessna 170A, registered N4169U, was destroyed in an accident near Fruitport, Michigan (Flying A Ranch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- September 6, 1985 · about 10:05 pm local time
- Place
- Fruitport, Michigan · Flying A Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N4169U · registry record · serial 18502
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED DURING A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AFTER THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENG COWLING OPENED SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PLT REPORTED THE COWLING OPENED AT AN ALT OF APRX 50 FT AGL. A CLIMB TO 300 FT WAS MADE AND THE ACFT WAS TURNED ONTO DOWNWIND. THE PLT STATED IN AN INTERVIEW THAT BECAUSE OF TURBULENCE AND A FEAR THE COWLING WOULD SEPARATE FROM THE ACFT, HE PANICKED AND TRIED TO PUT THE ACFT DOWN IN AN OPEN FLD. THE ACFT CONTACTED THE TERRAIN IN A NOSE DOWN LEFT BANK ATTITUDE.
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: 300 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,785 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 8, 1985; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-145 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Fruitport MI
- Destination: 3GM Grand Haven MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,500 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N4169U the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.