Piper PA-28-181 accident near Traverse City, Michigan, July 27, 1986
On July 27, 1986 at about 1:38 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N2185B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Traverse City, Michigan (Cherry Capitol airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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
- July 27, 1986 · about 1:38 am local time
- Place
- Traverse City, Michigan · Cherry Capitol · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N2185B · registry record · serial 28-7990126
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE FLARING TO LAND, THE AIRCRAFT HAD EXCESSIVE SPEED AND BALLOONED. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT BOUNCED TWICE, THEN BEGAN TO VEER TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT PERFORMED A GO-AROUND. DURING THE INITIAL PORTION OF THE GO-AROUND, THE LEFT WING STRUCK A RUNWAY EDGE IDENTIFIER LIGHT. THE LIGHT TORE A HOLE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE WING AND DAMAGED AT LEAST ONE WING RIB. HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED FLYING AND THE PILOT MADE AN UNEVENTFUL EMERGENCY LANDING.
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: 105 hours in all; 105 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 54 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 6,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:58 pm from TVC, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.