Cessna 172N accident near Lake Michigan, Michigan, July 18, 1992
On July 18, 1992 at about 3:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N4500E, was destroyed in an accident near Lake Michigan, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
UNDETERMINED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 1992 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Michigan, Michigan
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4500E · registry record · serial 17271613
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS DEPARTED BATTLE CREEK MICHIGAN AT 1000, ENROUTE TO BEAVER ISLAND LOCATED IN NORTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN. PILOT WAS RECEIVING VFR ADVISORIES FROM MINNEAPOLIS CENTER, AND REQUESTED A DESCENT NORTH OF TRAVERSE CITY TO GET BELOW A SCATTERED LAYER. DESCENT TOOK THE AIRPLANE BELOW RADAR COVERAGE, AND VFR SERVICES WERE TERMINATED. PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED 1200 TRANSPONDER CODE, AND REPORTED THAT HE WAS VFR AT 1200 FEET MSL. THIS WAS THE LAST CONTACT WITH THE AIRPLANE AT 1150. THE BROTHER OF ONE OF THE PASSENGERS, WHOM THE GROUP WAS GOING TO VISIT, ATTEMPTED TO CALL AND TELL THEM NOT TO COME BECAUSE THE ISLAND WAS ENGULFED BY HEAVY FOG, BUT THEY HAD ALREADY LEFT. HE REPORTED THE AIRPLANE MISSING AT 1700. COORDINATED SEARCH FOUND NO TRACE OF AIRPLANE OR OCCUPANTS. THREE WEEKS LATER, PERSON WALKING ON BEACH NEAR GOOD HART, MICHIGAN, FOUND AN AIRPLANE WHEEL AND WHEEL FAIRING. AIRPLANE AND OCCUPANTS ARE STILL MISSING.
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: 100 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,310 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 1, 1992; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Battle Creek Air Service, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: BTL Battle Creek MI at 2:00 pm
- Destination: SJX St. James MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from TVC, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.