Anderson Aircraft Corp. SKYBOLT accident near Escanaba, Michigan, June 22, 1985
On June 22, 1985 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Anderson Aircraft Corp. SKYBOLT, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N66AA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Escanaba, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people 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
- June 22, 1985 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Escanaba, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Anderson Aircraft Corp. SKYBOLT, amateur-built
- Registration
- N66AA · registry record · serial 7865783
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIOR TO THE ACDNT, THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED MAKING REPEATED LOW PASSES OVER THE AREA WHERE IT SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT DURING A TURNING MANEUVER OVER WATER, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE SURFACE & CRASHED. A POLICE OFFICER, WHO RESPONDED, REPORTED THAT BOTH OCCUPANTS SMELLED STRONGLY OF INTOXICANTS & HAD SLURRED SPEECH. A TOXICOLOGY CHECK OF THE STUDENT PLT'S BLOOD SHOWED AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.225%. APRX 45 MI NW AT MARQUETTE, MI, THE WIND WAS FROM 240 DEG AT 13 GUSTING 22 KTS.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Unknown UNK (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 13 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from MQT, 45 miles away
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.