Cessna 182P accident near Plainwell, Michigan, July 8, 1996
On July 8, 1996 at about 2:50 pm local time, a Cessna 182P, registered N52830, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plainwell, Michigan (Plainwell Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to attaining the proper touchdown point for landing, and his failure to abort the landing (while there was still sufficient runway remaining). The ditch was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 1996 · about 2:50 pm local time
- Place
- Plainwell, Michigan · Plainwell Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N52830 · no longer on the register · serial 18262880
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane overran the end of the runway and impacted a ditch. The pilot stated that he was high on final, and the touchdown was further down the runway than he had planned. He thought he would be able to stop the airplane on the runway, but when he realized, that was not possible, he was too far down the runway to abort the landing.
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: 175 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 78 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AZO Kalamazoo MI at 2:40 pm
- Destination: 61D
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,650 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N52830 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.