Piper PA-22-150 accident near Holland, Michigan, April 26, 1997
On April 26, 1997 at about 9:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N3126Z, was destroyed in an accident near Holland, Michigan (Park Township airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall/mush and subsequent impact with trees and then a residence. A related factor was turbulence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 1997 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Holland, Michigan · Park Township · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N3126Z · no longer on the register · serial 22-7071
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to one of the passengers, during the flare/touchdown as the airplane got down near the runway, there was considerable turbulence, the airplane traveled down the runway without landing for a considerable distance, when the [pilot] decided to go around.' He said that as they passed the end of the runway, he felt the tail of the airplane was low and, '...they seemed to be floating just over the tops of the trees with wiggling type motion by the plane.' He said that the pilot said that, '... the airplane won't climb,' and they were barely clearing the trees. The left wing went down, the airplane hit the trees and impacted into a garage roof. Prior to the flight the pilot had told one passenger that he had never flown the airplane with a passenger in the rear seat which was the case on this flight. A post accident examination of the airplane and engine revealed no pre-existing anomalies.
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: 90 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,568 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 20, 1996; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: BIV MI at 8:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 2,999 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from BIV, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.