Piper PA-22 accident near Michigan City, Indiana, June 18, 1989
On June 18, 1989 at about 5:18 pm local time, a Piper PA-22, registered N8824D, was destroyed in an accident near Michigan City, Indiana (Michigan City airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO OBTAIN AND/OR MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING TAKEOFF, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL & COLLISION WITH THE GROUND. RELATED FACTORS WERE: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES/DIRECTIVES AND HIS OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH EXCESSIVE GROSS WEIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 18, 1989 · about 5:18 pm local time
- Place
- Michigan City, Indiana · Michigan City
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N8824D · no longer on the register · serial 22-5993
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 210 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,498 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 17, 1989; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MGC at 5:15 pm
- Destination: MGC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 4,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from SBN, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 | 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.