Piper PA-28 accident near Troy, Michigan, July 28, 1993
On July 28, 1993 at about 3:30 am local time, a Piper PA-28, registered N40023, was substantially damaged in an accident near Troy, Michigan (Big Beaver Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IS THE PILOT NOT ATTAINING THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT, NOT FLYING A PROPER GLIDEPATH, AND NOT PERFORMING A GO AROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 1993 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Troy, Michigan · Big Beaver Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N40023 · registry record · serial 28-7816002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED HIS FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 09 AS 'SLIGHTLY HIGH,' AND SAID HE CONSIDERED A GO-AROUND, BUT DECIDED TO LAND INSTEAD. UPON FLARING, ABOVE THE NUMBERS ON THE RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT 'BALLOONED UP.' THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE 'BLED OFF THE AIRSPEED AND TOUCHED DOWN APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET DOWN (THE RUNWAY).' HE ALSO REPORTED THE BRAKES WERE INEFFECTIVE IN STOPPING THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OFF THE RUNWAY INTO A PARKING LOT AND COLLIDED WITH A PARKED VAN.
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: 148 hours in all; 7 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 107 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Island Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: 2G5 Grosse Ile MI at 2:45 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 2,400 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 am from DET, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.