Cessna 172M accident near Holland, Michigan, July 10, 1988
On July 10, 1988 at about 5:12 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N80943, was destroyed in an accident near Holland, Michigan (Park Township airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT'S INADEQUATE AIRCRAFT HANDLING DURING THE APPROACH TO LANDING AND LANDING FLARE PHASE OF FLIGHT. THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE AND AVOID A SITUATION FROM WHICH IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE-DUE TO THE WEIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT, THE AMOUNT OF POWER AVAILABLE FROM THE ENGINE, AND THE PRESENCE OF OBSTACLES IN THE FLIGHT PATH- TO ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED AND RATE OF CLIMB, RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT'S STALL/MUSH AND DESCENT INTO A WOODED RESIDENTIAL AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 1988 · about 5:12 pm local time
- Place
- Holland, Michigan · Park Township · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N80943 · registry record · serial 172-66811
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE 2 FNT SEAT OCCUPANTS WERE PLTS & WERE TAKING TURNS AT FLYING THE ACFT ON ALTN LEGS OF THE FLT. AFTER REFUELING, THEY DEPD FREMONT WITH THE CO-OWNER OF THE ACFT IN THE RGT FNT SEAT, THE OTR PLT (PIC) IN THE LEFT FNT SEAT & 2 PAX IN THE REAR SEATS. WHEN THEY ARRIVED AT HOLLAND, THE AIR WAS TURBULENT. DRG THE LNDG, THE ACFT BOUNCED & BALLOONED. THE PIC INITIATED A GO-AROUND, BUT GUSTS OF WIND BLEW THE ACFT TO THE RGT. ACCORDING TO THE CO-OWNER, THE AIRSPEED WAS NOT INCREASING AFTER LIFT-OFF & THE STALL WARNING HORN WAS SOUNDING. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT STRUCK A TREE, THEN CRASHED IN A RESIDENTUAL AREA, HITTING A HOUSE BEFORE COMING TO REST IN THE BACKYARD. PHYSICAL EVIDENCE INDCD THE FLAPS WERE EXTENDED 10 TO 20 DEGS WHEN THE ACFT CRASHED. THE ACFT WT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THE MAX LIMIT OF 2300 LBS WHEN IT CRASHED. APRX 27 MI NORTHWEST, AT MUSKEGON, MI, THE 1350 EDT WIND WAS FROM 210 DEG AT 19 GUSTING 28 KTS.
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: 233 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 160 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,673 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 28, 1988; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 3FM Fremont MI at 4:20 pm
- Destination: HLM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 3,075 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 19 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 15,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from MKG, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.