Piper PA-31T1 accident near Charlevoix, Michigan, July 25, 1986
On July 25, 1986 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-31T1, registered N2317V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Charlevoix, Michigan (Charlevoix airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 25, 1986 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Charlevoix, Michigan · Charlevoix
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31T1 · all PA-31T1s on the register
- Registration
- N2317V · registry record · serial 31T8004021
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT,ON THEIR FIRST APPROACH THEY WERE UNABLE TO SEE THE AIRPORT AT 1300 FEET, SO THEY RAISED THE GEAR AND FLAPS AND CLIMBED TO 1800 FEET, AT WHICH TIME THEY SAW THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT DECIDED TO MAKE A VFR LANDING ON RUNWAY 26 AND FORGOT THAT HE HAD PREVIOUSLY RAISED HIS GEAR AND MADE A GEAR UP LANDING. THE PILOT ATTRIBUTES HIS FORGETTING THE GEAR, TO BEING DISTRACTED BY THE COPILOT AND ALSO BECAUSE OF THE LAST MINUTE DECISION TO LAND ON RUNWAY 26.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,458 hours in all; 1,151 in this make and model; 86 in the last 90 days; 5,458 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 8,700 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Calco INC.
The flight
- Departed from: LAN Lansing MI at 9:00 pm
- Destination: CVX Charlevoix MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 26, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from PLN, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI86LA187.