Grumman HU-16 accident near St. Ignace, Michigan, August 2, 1994
On August 2, 1994 at about 5:40 pm local time, a Grumman HU-16, registered N7025N, suffered minor damage in an accident near St. Ignace, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW GOOD SEAPLANE OPERATING PRACTICES BY TAXIING WITH POWER AT FORWARD THRUST, WITH A TAILWIND, AT A SPEED THAT NECESSITATED USING REVERSE THRUST TO ARREST THE EXCESSIVE SPEED, AND THE PILOT'S MISJUDGMENT OF HIS DISTANCE FROM THE BOAT. THE FAILURE OF THE LEFT PROPELLER REVERSING SYSTEM WAS A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 1994 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- St. Ignace, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman HU-16 · all HU-16s on the register
- Registration
- N7025N · registry record · serial 409
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND BOAT OPERATOR HAD PREARRANGED TO MEET IN A COVE OFF A DESERTED ISLAND. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE WINDS WERE OUT OF THE ENE AT 10-15 KTS, AND HE LANDED ON AN EASTERLY HEADING. HE STATED '...WE TOUCHED DOWN AND WERE GOING TOWARDS SHORE WHEN I WENT INTO REVERSE AND OFF THE STEP. THE AIRPLANE TURNED RIGHT FURTHER TOWARDS SHORE AND AWAY FROM THE WIND....' THIS WOULD OCCUR IF THE LEFT PROPELLER DID NOT GO INTO REVERSE. THE PILOT THEN TURNED AROUND AND TAXIED DOWNWIND ON THE WATER TOWARDS THE MOORED BOAT. AS THE AIRPLANE NEARED THE BOAT, THE PILOT APPLIED REVERSE THRUST, BUT THE LEFT PROPELLER DID NOT GO INTO REVERSE PITCH. WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE PILOT WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY SLOWING DOWN, THE BOAT OPERATOR, HIS WIFE, AND 4-YEAR-OLD SON JUMPED INTO THE WATER. THE 6-YEAR-OLD SON DID NOT GET OFF THE BOAT AND WAS KILLED WHEN THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE BOAT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE LEFT PROPELLER LOW PITCH STOP ASSEMBLY WAS NOT OPERATING NORMALLY DUE TO A DISPLACED STOP RING AND STOP WEDGE. THE PROPELLER ASSEMBLY HAD OPERATED ABOUT 70 HOURS SINCE IT WAS REBUILT.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,128 hours in all; 69 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 7,438 as pilot in command; 1,298 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,936 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 24, 1994; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 33,500 lb
- Seats: 12
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Wright R-1820-76D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 7 |
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.