Grumman F9F-2 accident near Kalamazoo, Michigan, September 19, 1996
On September 19, 1996 at about 9:21 pm local time, a Grumman F9F-2, registered NX72WP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kalamazoo, Michigan (Kalamazoo/Battle Creek airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The overrun of the runway as a result of the pilot's misjudgment of speed and distance because of an unreliable airspeed indication; reason for the unreliable airspeed indication was undetermined. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's perception of a power interruption and throttle/power control not being available for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 1996 · about 9:21 pm local time
- Place
- Kalamazoo, Michigan · Kalamazoo/Battle Creek · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman F9F-2
- Registration
- NX72WP · no longer on the register · serial 12078
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, shortly after takeoff, about 200 feet above ground level, he felt a sudden deceleration and was thrown forward in his seat. He also noted that the airplane would not accelerate beyond 120 knots indicated airspeed, which he attributed to a problem with the pitot system, and that he decided to return to land. He said that while on the downwind leg, he retarded the throttle to idle, but the engine rpm reduced to 65 percent instead of the normal 28 percent. At this time, a red light illuminated in the cockpit, and the pilot stated that he believed this to be the warning light for the Emergency Fuel System. He said that as a precaution, he decided to shut the engine down and do a power-off landing. The pilot reported that he aimed for the first third to one-half-the-way down the runway, and he landed 'long and hot.' He was unable to stop on the remaining runway and steered the airplane on to a grassy area to the right side of the runway. He indicated that he had previously experienced anomalies with the fuel control unit and fuel pump; however, postaccident testing of these components did not reproduce the conditions reported by the pilot on the accident flight. Except for a slightly higher than normal idle (36 percent), the fuel controller performed satisfactorily. The airspeed indicator was damaged and could not be functionally tested.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,323 hours in all; 236 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 2,236 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 373 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 21, 1996; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 15,750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W J42P-8 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: AZO MI at 9:15 pm
- Destination: Norfolk VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 35, 6,499 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Observation at 9:23 pm from KAZ, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.