Cessna 175 accident near Houghton Lake, Michigan, May 9, 1993
On May 9, 1993 at about 2:05 am local time, a Cessna 175, registered N7303M, was destroyed in an accident near Houghton Lake, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT OPERATING THE AIRPLANE WITH A KNOWN DEFICIENCY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 1993 · about 2:05 am local time
- Place
- Houghton Lake, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 175 · all 175s on the register
- Registration
- N7303M · registry record · serial 55603
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A NIGHT VFR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THE PILOT REPORTED HE EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE POWER LOSS. HE STATED HE LANDED AT A NEARBY AIRPORT AND SOUGHT A MECHANIC'S HELP. THE COST OF THE MECHANIC WAS PROHIBITIVE AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. HE STATED HE EXAMINED THE ENGINE VISUALLY AND FOUND NOTHING UNUSUAL. HE STATED HE RAN THE ENGINE FOR 20 MINUTES AT VARIOUS RPM SETTINGS. UPON COMPLETION OF THE RUNUP THE PILOT DEPARTED AND CONTINUED HIS CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. WHILE AT CRUISE THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. REMEDIAL ACTION BY THE PILOT DID NOT CORRECT THE POWER LOSS. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AND SWAMPY TERRAIN. THE ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION IDENTIFIED AN INTERMITTENTLY FIRING LEFT MAGNETO.
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: 433 hours in all; 380 in this make and model; 380 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 986 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1992; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental GO-300A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MBS Saginaw MI at 1:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 100° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from HTL, 2 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N7303M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI93LA166.