Piper PA-28-180 accident near Houghton, Michigan, May 25, 1997
On May 25, 1997 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N8872J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houghton, Michigan (Houghton County Memorial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper starting procedures and failure to set the parking brakes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 1997 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Houghton, Michigan · Houghton County Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N8872J · registry record · serial 28-2844
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot decided to exit the airplane and pull the propeller through by hand because the engine starter motor would not engage. The airplane was not chocked or tied down and the magneto switch was on. The airplane started and began taxiing with two passengers in the rear seats. The pilot was unable to get in the airplane prior to it striking another airplane which was parked on the ramp.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 917 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 862 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,618 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 25, 1996; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,175 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CMX at 6:10 pm
- Destination: CMX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from CMX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.