Cessna 172 accident near Conway, Michigan, June 23, 1996
On June 23, 1996 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N3823S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Conway, 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
A crack in the intake manifold which led to oil exhaustion and subsequent piston failure. A factor was the soft field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 1996 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Conway, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N3823S · registry record · serial 17251023
- 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 in cruise flight at 3000 feet when he noticed an engine vibration and a mist of oil on the aircraft's windshield. The engine stopped a minute later. He set up for a forced landing in a field while he tried restarting the engine. The engine restarted and ran at about 50 percent power before it stopped again. The aircraft was at about 800 feet above ground level and on final approach for a corn field. The pilot reported that he touched down on the main wheels first. The ground was soft and the nose wheel dug into the ground. The aircraft tipped up on its nose and left wing before settling back down on its main landing gear. During the examination of the engine, it was determined that there was a hole in the crankcase near the number five cylinder, and no oil remained in the crankcase. The number five connecting rod was bent and the piston and pin were missing. A crack in the intake manifold with fuel stains below the crack was found.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,800 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 1,650 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,801 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1996; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4-165-B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 08C Jenison MI at 5:30 pm
- Destination: Y84 Mackinac Island MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from PLN, 20 miles away
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.
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.