Piper PA-28RT-201 accident near Chelsea, Michigan, July 12, 1987
On July 12, 1987 at about 1:30 am local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201, registered N2904A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chelsea, Michigan (Sharphorn airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 12, 1987 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Chelsea, Michigan · Sharphorn · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201 PA-28RT-20 · all PA-28RT-201s on the register
- Registration
- N2904A · registry record · serial 28R7918212
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF FROM A 1800 FOOT SOD, UPSLOPING RUNWAY WITH TALL, WET GRASS. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 2700 FEET. AS THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED OUT OF GROUND EFFECT THE PILOT SAID THE ENGINE SOUNDED 'FUNNY' AND ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. THE AIRCRAFT RAN OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, STRUCK A TREE AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED.
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: 976 hours in all; 76 in this make and model; 107 in the last 90 days; 776 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,894 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-360-C1C6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: YIP Ypsilanti MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 1,800 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 CHI87LA166.