Piper PA-31 accident near Ironwood, Michigan, August 14, 1995
On August 14, 1995 at about 9:20 am local time, a Piper PA-31, registered N9123Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ironwood, Michigan (Gogebic County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during the aborted takeoff. A factor was the partial loss of engine power for an undetermined reason.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 1995 · about 9:20 am local time
- Place
- Ironwood, Michigan · Gogebic County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31 · all PA-31s on the register
- Registration
- N9123Y · no longer on the register · serial 31-163
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE CONDUCTED A NORMAL TAKEOFF, AND THE LEFT ENGINE LOST POWER WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 25 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY. HE 'LOWERED THE NOSE, PULLED THE POWER, AND LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD.' THE AIRPLANE LANDED LEFT OF THE RUNWAY AND SLID THROUGH A DRAINAGE DITCH. EXAMINATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT AIRFRAME MALFUNCTION. THE ENGINE WAS TESTED IN THE 'AS RECEIVED CONDITION' AND PRODUCED 85 PERCENT OF THE RATED POWER.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,161 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 226 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 1,075 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,301 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 27, 1995; 102 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,536 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: PEK Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 6,501 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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.