Johnson AVID FLYER accident near Rockford, Michigan, May 18, 1996
On May 18, 1996, a Johnson AVID FLYER, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N4274A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rockford, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
engine overtemperature which occurred for an undetermined reason. A factor was the excessive descent rate.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 1996
- Place
- Rockford, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Johnson AVID FLYER, amateur-built
- Registration
- N4274A · no longer on the register · serial 564
- 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 was climbing, 300 to 400 feet above ground level, when the engine suddenly lost power. After two to three seconds, the engine 'fired' for 'another second' then lost power again. He selected a road to conduct a forced landing. He reported that during the landing 'the vertical velocity was too fast.' The landing gear collapsed and the left wing collided with a post. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of engine control or flight control malfunction and no anomalies with fuel or oil. The piston rings were 'seized on the piston.'
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 427 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 316 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 122 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 1996; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6D6 Greenville MI at 9:30 pm
- Destination: Belding MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N4274A 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.