Piper PA-28-140 accident near Lake City, Michigan, May 29, 1994
On May 29, 1994 at about 5:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N9691W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake City, Michigan (Home Acres Sky Ranch airport). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S NOT USING ALL AVAILABLE RUNWAY, PREMATURE LIFT OFF, AND A CROSSWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 1994 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Lake City, Michigan · Home Acres Sky Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N9691W · no longer on the register · serial 28-23162
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT INITIATED A TAKEOFF WITH A LEFT CROSSWIND FROM AN INTERSECTION, NOT UTILIZING THE FULL LENGTH OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF PREMATURELY. AIRCRAFT CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED AND THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES AND THE TERRAIN.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,691 hours in all; 1,680 in this make and model; 1,691 as pilot in command; 162 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,143 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1993; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: CAD Cadillac MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,830 ft by 160 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 17 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:00 pm from CAD, 14 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.
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.