Piper PA-23-150 accident near Dowagiac, Michigan, January 14, 1994
On January 14, 1994 at about 12:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-150, registered N1346P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dowagiac, Michigan (Dowagiac Municipal 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
was the pilot not maintaining directional control during the takeoff ground roll. Factors related to the accident were the icy, snow covered runway and poor preflight planning/preparation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 14, 1994 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Dowagiac, Michigan · Dowagiac Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-150 · all PA-23-150s on the register
- Registration
- N1346P · no longer on the register · serial 392
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT BEGAN A TAKEOFF ROLL ON A RUNWAY THAT HAD PACKED SNOW AND ICE WHICH WAS COVERED WITH FOUR INCHES OF SNOW. SHORTLY AFTER THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER THE AIRPLANE TURNED TOWARD THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, EVENTUALLY GOING THROUGH A SNOWBANK. THE PILOT STATED HE ATTEMPTED THE CONTROL THE AIRPLANE BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO ON THE 100 FOOT WIDE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL IRREGULARITIES WITH THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINES.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 240 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 166 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 30, 1993; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: FTY Atlanta GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 4,700 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 080° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 0.8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,200 ft; not recorded at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 9°F (-13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from BEH
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.