Piper PA-28-161 accident near Pontiac, Michigan, February 18, 1990
On February 18, 1990 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N8394D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pontiac, Michigan (Oakland Pontiac airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR ATTACH BOLTS FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 1990 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Pontiac, Michigan · Oakland Pontiac · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N8394D · registry record · serial 28-8116238
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) AND DUAL INSTRUMENT STUDENT WERE TAXIING FROM THE RAMP TO THE ACTIVE RUNWAY WHEN THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LANDING GEAR BOLTS ON THE LEFT GEAR HAD FAILED. THE CFI REPORTED THAT THEY WERE TAXIING STRAIGHT AHEAD ON A SMOOTH, PAVED SURFACE, AND MOVING AT A NORMAL TAXI RATE WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FAILURES APPEARED TO BE DUE TO OVERLOAD; THERE WAS NO REPORT OF A PREVIOUS HARD LANDING IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT.
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: 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: 1,205 hours in all; 76 in this make and model; 136 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 1,100 as pilot in command; 977 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,215 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 2, 1990; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Tradewinds Aviation, INC
The flight
- Departed from: PTK
- Destination: FNT Flint MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:46 pm from PTK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N8394D 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.