Amateur-built VP-1 accident near Coldwater, Michigan, October 8, 1988
On October 8, 1988 at about 6:48 pm local time, a amateur-built VP-1, registered N131JT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Coldwater, Michigan (Branch CO Mem. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A STALL WITH ENTRY INTO THE INCIPIENT STAGE OF A SPIN WITH INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE FOR RECOVERY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 8, 1988 · about 6:48 pm local time
- Place
- Coldwater, Michigan · Branch CO Mem. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VP-1
- Registration
- N131JT · registry record · serial 1902
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS IN LOCAL TRAFFIC PATTERN AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET AGL. WITNESSES DESCRIBED THE ACFT ATTITUDE AS NOSE HIGH, AND THE AIRSPEED AS SLOW AS THE PILOT WAS TURNING DOWNWIND. WITNESSES DESCRIBED THE ENGINE NOISE AS LOUD. THE ACFT ROLLED INVERTED AND STRUCK THE GROUND IN AN APRX 60 DEGS NOSE LOW ATTITUDE.
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: 122 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 122 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 7, 1988; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen 1500 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: D96 Coldwater MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from JXN, 34 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.