Cessna 172 accident near Howell, Michigan, November 17, 1991
On November 17, 1991, a Cessna 172, registered N73475, was substantially damaged in an accident near Howell, Michigan (Livingston County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PROPER GLIDEPATH WAS NOT MAINTAINED RESULTING IN AN UNDERSHOOT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS DARK NIGHT FLYING CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 17, 1991
- Place
- Howell, Michigan · Livingston County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N73475 · no longer on the register · serial 17267491
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT DURING FINAL APPROACH, AT NIGHT, EVERYTHING APPEARED TO BE NORMAL UNTIL THE RIGHT WING STRUCK TREE BRANCHES. THE AIRCRAFT THEN DESCENDED UNCONTROLLED, STRIKING THE TERRAIN SHORT OF THE 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: 210 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 109 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Free Spirit Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: LDM Ludington MI at 10:45 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 31, 4,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 070° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 14 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:51 pm from FNT, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.