Piper PA-28-181 accident near East Lansing, Michigan, May 20, 1990
On May 20, 1990 at about 10:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N24PT, was destroyed in an accident near East Lansing, Michigan (Capital City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL WHILE FLYING IN CLOUDS DURING AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH. FACTORS WERE: INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, SELF-INDUCED PRESSURE, OPERATION WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES IN EQUIPMENT, AND ANXIETY/APPREHENSION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 1990 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- East Lansing, Michigan · Capital City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N24PT · registry record · serial 2890075
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE CRASHED WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR AN ASR APPROACH. THE REASON FOR THE FLIGHT WAS TO DELIVER THE AIRPLANE FOR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MAINTENANCE. IMC PREVAILED. AFTER CHECKING WEATHER THREE TIMES THE PILOT TELEPHONED THE RADAR APPROACH CONTROL AND REQUESTED A SVFR CLEARANCE STATING THAT HE WOULD BE MAKING THE FLIGHT ON BATTERY POWER. AFTER TAKEOFF THE PILOT WAS ISSUED A CLEARANCE. AFTER AN INFLIGHT ADVISORY THAT WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE NOT FAVORABLE FOR SVFR HE REQUESTED AN IFR CLEARANCE AND WAS ASSIGNED VECTORS FOR AN ILS APPROACH. DURING THE APPROACH THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS HAVING INSTRUMENT PROBLEMS AND WAS CONCERNED THAT HE WOULD LOSE COMMUNICATONS CAPABILITY. THE CONTROLLER LOST CONTACT WITH THE PILOT AFTER STARTING A NO-GYRO ASR APPROACH. NO DEFECTS WERE DISCOVERED DURING DISASSEMBLY OF THE VACUUM PUMPS, OR THE VACUUM AND ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS. LIGHT BULBS IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SHOWED FILAMENT STRETCHING.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 643 hours in all; 370 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 523 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 09G Mason MI
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from LAN, 5 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.
Other NTSB records under N24PT the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.