Taylorcraft L-2 accident near Three Rivers, Michigan, June 5, 1988
On June 5, 1988 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Taylorcraft L-2, registered N57502, was substantially damaged in an accident near Three Rivers, Michigan (Private Strip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 5, 1988 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Three Rivers, Michigan · Private Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft L-2 · all L-2s on the register
- Registration
- N57502 · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE OWNER OF THE ACFT STATED THAT HE RELEASED THE ACFT TO THE PIC SO THAT HE COULD 'CHECKOUT' ANOTHER PLT AND HELP HER WITH HER TAILWHEEL LANDINGS. DURING THEIR FOURTH TKOF, THE PLT BEING CHECKED OUT ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB OUT OF GROUND EFFECT WITH INSUFFICIENT AIRSPEED. THE PIC STATED THAT HE DELAYED CORRECTING THE TKOF PROCEDURE BECAUSE HE THOUGHT THE POOR PERFORMANCE OF THE ACFT WAS DUE TO THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE AND WEIGHT OF THE ACFT WHICH WOULD NORMALLY DECREASE THE RATE OF CLIMB. SUBSEQUENTLY, AT THE FIRST INDICATION OF THE STALL, HE IMMEDIATELY ATTEMPTED TO REMEDY THE ATTITUDE OF THE ACFT. THE PIC WAS ABLE TO LEVEL THE WINGS BUT COULD NOT STOP THE DESCENT BEFORE THE ACFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN.
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: 700 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 640 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Three Rivers MI at 4:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 pm from AZO, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CHI88LA127.