Cessna 414 accident near Pontiac, Michigan, December 20, 1988
On December 20, 1988 at about 2:10 am local time, a Cessna 414, registered N414CM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pontiac, Michigan (Oakland Pontiac airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 20, 1988 · about 2:10 am local time
- Place
- Pontiac, Michigan · Oakland Pontiac
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414 · all 414s on the register
- Registration
- N414CM · registry record · serial 414-0035
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,023 hours in all; 98 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 880 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,916 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 17, 1988; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,350 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-ECJ (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DTW Detroit MI at 2:00 am
- Destination: PTK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27L, 6,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 200° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:12 am from PTK
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.