Piper PA-31-310 accident near Port Huron, Michigan, April 22, 1993
On April 22, 1993 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-310, registered N654N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Port Huron, Michigan (St. Clair County Int'L airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the landing gear actuator cable.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 1993 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Port Huron, Michigan · St. Clair County Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-310 · all PA-31-310s on the register
- Registration
- N654N · no longer on the register · serial 31-683
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot attempted to extend the landing gear at his intended destination without success. He spent one and one-half hours in the landing pattern attempting to get the gear to extend, but was not successful. The pilot made an intentional gear-up landing. The investigation revealed the landing gear actuator cable had failed with the gear position actuating valve in the UP position.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,625 hours in all; 1,756 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 3,510 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,860 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 20, 1993; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PTK Pontiac MI at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 5,103 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 19 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from PHN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.