Piper PA-28-181 accident near Drummand Island, Michigan, July 7, 1990
On July 7, 1990 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N7636F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Drummand Island, Michigan (Drummond Island airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO PLAN HIS APPROACH AND LANDING TO USE ALL AVAILABLE RUNWAY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ARE INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION, LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, AND INADEQUATE RUNWAY MARKINGS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 1990 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Drummand Island, Michigan · Drummond Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N7636F · no longer on the register · serial 28-7790199
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT UPON ENTERING THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT HE CONFERRED WITH HIS PILOT-RATED PASSENGERS TO DETERMINE THE LOCATION OF THE APPROACH END OF THE GRASS RUNWAY. ALL THREE AIRCRAFT OCCUPANTS AGREED ON A POINT JUST SOUTH OF AN INTERSECTING ASPHALT RUNWAY, AND THE PILOT SET UP HIS APPROACH IN ACCORDANCE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN AT THE INTENDED TOUCHDOWN POINT, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO GET THE AIRCRAFT STOPPED BEFORE THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT RAN OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, DOWN AND EMBANKMENT AND COLLIDED WITH A FENCE.
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: 1,564 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,397 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,263 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 10, 1990; 174 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSAW Sawyer MI at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,700 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 12 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:10 pm from PLN, 45 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.