Cessna 182R accident near Litchfield, Michigan, August 15, 1992
On August 15, 1992 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Cessna 182R, registered N5446N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Litchfield, Michigan (Rakers Acres airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO USE ALL AVAILABLE RUNWAY AND HIS NOT ABORTING THE TAKEOFF WHEN THE WING CONTACTED THE CORN. A FACTOR WAS THE CORN ALONG SIDE THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 1992 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Litchfield, Michigan · Rakers Acres · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182R · all 182Rs on the register
- Registration
- N5446N · no longer on the register · serial 18267721
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE LEFT WING EXTENDED OVER THE CORN. AS THE TAKEOFF RUN PROGRESSED, THE WING CONTACTED CORN ALONG THE MARGIN OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT CONTINUED TO ATTEMPT TAKEOFF, BUT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT ACCELERATE WITH THE WING IN THE CORN. SUBSEQUENTLY DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER.
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: 157 hours in all; 68 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 845 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 7, 1991; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 5:45 pm
- Destination: Y85 Hillsdale MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 2,300 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:30 pm from JXN, 18 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 N5446N 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.