Cessna 140 accident near Blissfield, Michigan, August 25, 1990
On August 25, 1990 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N2239V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Blissfield, Michigan (Betz airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH A UTILITY WIRE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 1990 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Blissfield, Michigan · Betz · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N2239V · registry record · serial 14470
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING PRACTICE FORCED LANDING, AIRPLANE STRUCK POWER LINES SUSPENDED 20 FEET ABOVE LEVEL GROUND 370 FEET SHORT OF RUNWAY AND 750 FEET SHORT OF DISPLACED THRESHOLD. PILOT STATED HE DID NOT SEE WIRES ON THIS OR THREE PRIOR TOUCH-AND-GO APPROACHES TO SAME RUNWAY.
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
- Flight time: 463 hours in all; 67 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5G9 Lambertville MI at 2:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,205 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 22,000 ft; scat at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from TOL, 17 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 N2239V 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.