Gulfstream 690A accident near Cadillac, Michigan, October 10, 1985
On October 10, 1985, a Gulfstream 690A, registered N254PW, was destroyed in an accident near Cadillac, Michigan (Wexford County airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- October 10, 1985
- Place
- Cadillac, Michigan · Wexford County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Gulfstream 690A
- Registration
- N254PW · no longer on the register · serial 11275
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS CLEARED FOR AN NDB APPROACH TO CADILLAC. THE WKWAS 300 FT OVCST, 1 MILE VIS. SHORTLY AFTER CANCELLING IFR THE ACFT CRASHED ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ARPT FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RWY. THE PILOT ACTIVATED RWY LIGHTS WERE NEVER TURNED ON DURING THE APPROACH. IT WAS A NEWLY COMMISSIONED SYSTEM NOT YET ON APPROACH PLATES. THEY WERE ON A NOTAM. AN NTAP REVEALED THAT THE ACFT WAS FOLLOWING THE RNAV FINAL APPROACH COURSE RATHER THAN THE NDB FINAL APPROACH COURSE. IN ADDITION, A LIGHTED CHRISTMAS TREE FARM WAS LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE AIRPORT. LASTLY, NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION COULD BE FOUND IN THE WRECKAGE.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,762 hours in all; 87 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,678 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 28, 1985; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE331-5-252K (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TOL Toledo OH at 10:58 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25, 4,542 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 040° at 1 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.