Piper PA-60-602P accident near Port Huron, Michigan, September 14, 1994
On September 14, 1994 at about 12:46 pm local time, a Piper PA-60-602P, registered CFSMO, was destroyed in an accident near Port Huron, Michigan. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT RESULTING IN FUEL EXHAUSTION. INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION WAS A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 14, 1994 · about 12:46 pm local time
- Place
- Port Huron, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-60-602P · all PA-60-602Ps on the register
- Registration
- CFSMO · no longer on the register · serial 62P087581650
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED 22,000 FT, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT BOTH ENGINES STOPPED RUNNING WITHIN SECONDS OF EACH OTHER. DURING THE EMERGENCY LANDING APPROACH THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES. ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WITH THE ENGINES. THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS EMPTY, OTHER THAN TRACES OF FUEL FOUND IN THE LEFT AND RIGHT ENGINE'S FUEL INJECTOR SERVOS AND FLOW DIVIDERS. BOTH WING FUEL TANK CAPS O-RINGS WERE HARDENED AND HAD FLAT SPOTS ON THEM. THE CAPS' OPENING TABS WERE ABLE TO BE OPENED AT 8 AND 3 LBS OF FORCE, RESPECTIVELY. THE COMPANY HOLDING THE AIRPLANE'S TYPE CERTIFICATE STATES AN OPENING FORCE OF 16 LBS OF FORCE IS REQUIRED. THE COMPANY'S ANNUAL INSPECTION CHECKLIST REQUIRES THAT THE TABS BE CHECKED. NO RECORD OF THIS BEING ACCOMPLISHED WAS FOUND IN THE AIRFRAME LOGBOOK. THE PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK STATES THAT THE FUEL CAP TAB TENSION MUST BE CHECKED DURING THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,174 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 1,066 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,841 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 2, 1993; 97 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,315 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NM4 Stratford, Ont at 12:05 pm
- Destination: CGX Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 12:30 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.