Cessna 550 accident near Fremont, Michigan, September 22, 1988
On September 22, 1988 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Cessna 550, registered N29TC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fremont, Michigan (Fremont Muni airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- September 22, 1988 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fremont, Michigan · Fremont Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 550 · all 550s on the register
- Registration
- N29TC · registry record · serial 550-0127
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE RAN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK AN EMBANKMENT AFTER LANDING DOWNWIND FROM A VOR APPROACH DURING HEAVY RAIN. BOTH PILOTS REPORTED POOR BRAKING ACTION AND INEFFECTIVENESS OF REVERSE THRUST APPLICATION AFTER TOUCHDOWN AND DURING THE LANDING ROLL. THE PIC DESCRIBED A 'HYDROPLANING SITUATION'. EXAMINATION OF THE RUNWAY SURFACE REVEALED HYDROPLANE MARKS ON THE ASPHALT.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 7,500 as pilot in command; 1,475 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,542 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 15, 1988; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 13,500 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT15D-4 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MKG Muskegan MI at 12:24 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 5,826 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 900 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 CHI88LA241.