Piper PA-28 and Piper PA-60-600 mid-air collision near Plymouth, Michigan, July 23, 1990
On July 23, 1990 at about 1:34 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-28 (N55354) and Piper PA-60-600 (N8060J), were involved in a mid-air collision near Plymouth, Michigan. 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOT OF THE PA-60. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THAT NEITHER OF THE FLIGHT CREWS HAD OBTAINED ATC/RADAR ASSISTANCE.
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOT OF THE PA-60. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THAT NEITHER OF THE FLIGHT CREWS HAD OBATAINED ATC/RADAR ASSISTANCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 1990 · about 1:34 pm local time
- Place
- Plymouth, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-28 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N55354 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7325383
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-60-600 · all PA-60-600s on the register
- Registration
- N8060J · no longer on the register · serial 60-0543-175
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-28 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PIPER PA-28, N55354, HAD DEPARTED PLYMOUTH, MI & WAS CLIMBING FROM 1300' MSL ON A COURSE OF ABOUT 282 DEG WITH A GND SPEED OF 80 KTS. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, A PIPER PA-60, N8060J, WAS CRUISING AT 2100' MSL ON A FLT FROM DETROIT TO JACKSON, MI, ON A COURSE OF ABOUT 258 DEG WITH A GND SPEED OF 165 KTS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE 2 ACFT CONVERGED & COLLIDED AT 2100' MSL. BOTH ACFT THEN PLUNGED TO THE GND & CRASHED. RADAR DATA & WRECKAGE EXAM REVEALED THE PA-60 HAD CONVERGED FROM THE RIGHT REAR OF THE PA-28; THE PA-28 CONVERGED ON THE PA-60 FROM ITS LOWER, LEFT, FORWARD AREA. THE PA-28 WAS ON AN INSTRUMENT TRAINING FLT WITH A RATED PVT PLT & AN INSTRUCTOR PLT (CFI) ABOARD. THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL WHICH SEAT THE CFI WAS OCCUPYING. NO FLT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR EITHER FLT, NOR WAS THERE ANY INDCN THAT EITHER FLT CREW HAD OBTAINED ATC/RADAR ASSISTANCE.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-60-600 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PIPER PA-28, N55354, HAD DEPARTED PLYMOUTH, MI & WAS CLIMBING FROM 1300' MSL ON A COURSE OF ABOUT 282 DEG WITH A GND SPEED OF 80 KTS. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, A PIPER PA-60, N8060J, WAS CRUISING AT 2100' MSL ON A FLT FROM DETROIT TO JACKSON, MI, ON A COURSE OF ABOUT 258 DEG WITH A GND SPEED OF 165 KTS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE 2 ACFT CONVERGED & COLLIDED AT 2100' MSL. BOTH ACFT THEN PLUNGED TO THE GND & CRASHED. RADAR DATA & WRECKAGE EXAM REVEALED THE PA-60 HAD CONVERGED FROM THE RIGHT REAR OF THE PA-28; THE PA-28 CONVERGED ON THE PA-60 FROM ITS LOWER, LEFT, FORWARD AREA. THE PA-28 WAS ON AN INSTRUMENT TRAINING FLT WITH A RATED PVT PLT & AN INSTRUCTOR PLT (CFI) ABOARD. THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL WHICH SEAT THE CFI WAS OCCUPYING. NO FLT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR EITHER FLT, NOR WAS THERE ANY INDCN THAT EITHER FLT CREW HAD OBTAINED ATC/RADAR ASSISTANCE.
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 for the Piper PA-28 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,200 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 4,000 as pilot in command; 3,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1D2 Plymouth MI at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:45 pm from YIP, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-60-600 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 6,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1J5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DET Detroit MI at 1:25 pm
- Destination: JXN Jackson MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
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.