Amateur-built 3A accident near Gowen, Michigan, October 30, 1986
On October 30, 1986 at about 10:30 pm local time, a amateur-built 3A, registered N3782W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gowen, 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
- October 30, 1986 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Gowen, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 3A
- Registration
- N3782W · no longer on the register · serial 9381
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT STALLED WHILE PRACTICING AN EMERGENCY LANDING. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE PULLED UP FROM THE PRACTICE EMERGENCY PROCEDURE SOONER.
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: 291 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 53 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 31, 1986; 53 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cuyuna 430-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Gowen MI at 10:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from GRR, 19 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.