Cessna 140A accident near Three Rivers, Michigan, January 27, 1985
On January 27, 1985 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 140A, registered N5603C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Three Rivers, Michigan. 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
- January 27, 1985 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Three Rivers, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140A · all 140As on the register
- Registration
- N5603C · registry record · serial 15536
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE SKI EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT WAS TAXIING ON THE FROZEN SURFACE OF THE LAKE WHEN THE TWO BOTTOM BOLTS THAT ATTACHED THE RIGHT SKI TO THE GEAR LEG FAILED THE OVERLOAD FAILED THE TWO TOP BOLTS AND THE SKI FAILED OUT AND UP AT A FORTY FIVE DEGREE ANGLE THIS PERMITTED THE GEAR LEG TO DIG INTO THE ICE AND NOSE THE ACFT OVER INVERTED.
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: 1,030 hours in all; 750 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 970 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 5, 1984; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C90 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HAI at 8:50 pm
- Destination: Corey Lake MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from SBN, 36 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.