Cessna A185F accident near Sterling Hgts, Michigan, February 11, 1994
On February 11, 1994 at about 3:51 am local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N53064, was destroyed in an accident near Sterling Hgts, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPAIRMENT OF JUDGMENT AND PERFORMANCE DUE TO ALCOHOL, WHICH LED TO HIS INTENTIONAL BUZZING, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE (OR CLEARANCE) FROM OBSTACLES. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND THE UNLIGHTED TOWER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 11, 1994 · about 3:51 am local time
- Place
- Sterling Hgts, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N53064 · no longer on the register · serial 18502352
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE OBSERVED DRINKING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AT A SOCIAL GATHERING BEFORE THE FLIGHT. LATER, THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED HEADING NORTH IN LOW ALTITUDE FLIGHT NEAR THE BUILDING WHERE THE SOCIAL GATHERING WAS BEING HELD. THE PILOT MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN, AND THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED AN UNLIGHTED TOWER, THEN IT COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE, THE TERRAIN, AND A PRIVATE RESIDENCE. TOXICOLOGY TESTS REVEALED THE PILOT'S BLOOD/ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS 248 MG/DL (0.248%) AND HIS URINE/ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS 63 MG/DL (0.063%).
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,600 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 18, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3BB Troy MI
- Destination: 3BB
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 3°F (-16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:51 am from PTK, 18 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 N53064 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.