Piper PA-28-181 accident near West Branch, Michigan, April 6, 1991
On April 6, 1991 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N3072H, was involved in an accident near West Branch, Michigan (West Branch Community airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW RECOMMEDED STARTING PROCEDURES/DIRECTIVES AND PRECAUTIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 1991 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- West Branch, Michigan · West Branch Community · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N3072H · registry record · serial 28-7990223
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO START THE AIRPLANE ENGINE NORMALLY, SO HE ATTEMPTED TO HAND-PROP START THE ENGINE. THE TWO NON-PILOT RELATED PASSENGERS OBSERVED THE PILOT AS HE TURNED THE PROPELLER THROUGH THREE TO FOUR TIMES ON ONE SIDE, THEN WENT TO THE OTHER SIDE. THEY STOPPED WATCHING FOR A MOMENT, AND WHEN THEY LOOKED BACK THE PILOT WAS ON THE GROUND. THE PILOT HAD BEEN STRUCK IN THE HEAD BY THE PROPELLER.
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: 130 hours in all; 25 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,763 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 8, 1990; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pontiac Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.