Cessna 172M accident near Grosse Ile, Michigan, June 22, 1997
On June 22, 1997 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N4491R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grosse Ile, Michigan (Grosse Ile airport). It was an instructional 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
the instructor pilot's inadequate planning/decision, resulting in an inadvertent stall situation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 1997 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Grosse Ile, Michigan · Grosse Ile · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N4491R · no longer on the register · serial 17263233
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
In a statement, the flight instructor (CFI) said he was demonstrating slow flight to the student while flying in ground effect over the runway. He indicated that the flaps were fully extended (40 degrees) and the power was just enough to sustain flying airspeed. At an altitude of approximately 5 feet above ground level (AGL), the left wing dipped. The left wing tip and main gear contacted the runway at which time the airplane sustained substantial damage. According to the pilot, his intent was to show the student that the airplane would still be controllable while flying at a slow airspeed in ground effect. The pilot added that during the maneuver, he let the airplane get away from him.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 980 hours in all; 648 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 749 as pilot in command; 125 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,300 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ONZ at 12:30 pm
- Destination: ONZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N4491R 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.