Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Bay City, Michigan, June 13, 1995
On June 13, 1995 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N5256T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bay City, Michigan. 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM OBSTACLES AND HIS INTENTIONAL BUZZING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 13, 1995 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bay City, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N5256T · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7235207
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND WIRE OF ELECTRICAL POWER TRANSMISSION LINES. THE AIRPLANE WAS RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT WITHOUT INCIDENT AND WAS DISCOVERED TO HAVE ITS LEFT WING BENT AFT 1 TO 1 1/2 INCHES AFTER THE PILOT HAD DEPARTED THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS SHOWING A PASSENGER WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE SHOULD QUIT. HE SAID HE HAD NOT REALIZED HIS AIRPLANE HAD HIT A WIRE DURING THE DEMONSTRATION. THE PILOT AND A PASSENGER SAID THE SIMULATED EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE NEXT TO THE PILOT'S PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT. THE ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED AN OPEN FIELD NEXT TO THE PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT THAT MEASURED 100 FEET BY 200 FEET.
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
- Flight time: 400 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,227 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 27, 1995; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3CM MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from MBS, 8 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.
Other NTSB records under N5256T the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.