Amateur-built ACRODUSTER II SA750 accident near New Haven, Michigan, April 29, 1990
On April 29, 1990 at about 4:01 pm local time, a amateur-built ACRODUSTER II SA750, registered N103GM, was destroyed in an accident near New Haven, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S THE IMPROPER EXECUTION AND/OR RECOVERY FROM AN AEROBATIC MANEUVER (INVERTED FLAT SPIN), WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 1990 · about 4:01 pm local time
- Place
- New Haven, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ACRODUSTER II SA750 ACRODUSTER
- Registration
- N103GM · registry record · serial 103
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOTS WERE PRACTICING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, TWO INVERTED FLAT SPINS HAD BEEN PERFORMED SUCCESSFULLY. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE THIRD INVERTED FLAT SPIN WHEN A FAILURE TO RECOVER RESULTED IN IMPACT WITH 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
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,677 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-G1C5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 22,000 ft; scat at 1,400 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from MTC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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 CHI90DEC01.