Piper PA-28-180 accident near Houghton, Michigan, October 23, 1994
On October 23, 1994 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N6464J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houghton, Michigan (Houghton County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
inaccurate planning by the pilot which resulted in the failure to assure an adequate fuel supply to complete the flight. A factor associated with the accident was the lack of a suitable landing site for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 1994 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Houghton, Michigan · Houghton County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N6464J · no longer on the register · serial 28-4888
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
TWENTY TWO MILES FROM THE CROSS COUNTRY DESTINATION THE PILOT REPORTED TO ATC THAT HE MIGHT HAVE A FUEL PROBLEM BEFORE REACHING THE DESTINATION. DURING THE LANDING APPROACH THE ENGINE QUIT AND A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A WOODED SWAMPY AREA. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED ONE GALLON OF FUEL REMAINED IN THE LEFT FUEL TANK. THE RIGHT TANK WAS RUPTURED. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED ON THE LEFT TANK.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 300 hours in all; 280 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 25, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6D6 Greenville MI at 2:00 pm
- Destination: CMX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 15 knots, gusting 32
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from CMX, 1 miles away
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.