Piper PA-28-140 accident near Kalamazoo, Michigan, April 20, 1998
On April 20, 1998 at about 2:09 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N1762J, was destroyed in an accident near Kalamazoo, Michigan (Kalamzoo/Battle Creek airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate flying airspeed resulting in a stall condition. Contributing factors were the tailwind condition and the pilot's exceeding the gross weight of the airplane on takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 20, 1998 · about 2:09 am local time
- Place
- Kalamazoo, Michigan · Kalamzoo/Battle Creek · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N1762J · no longer on the register · serial 28-24182
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses reported seeing the airplane liftoff runway 5 past the runway 17/35 intersection located approximately 3108 feet from the approach end of runway 5. Runway 5 is 3,999 feet long. Witnesses reported the airplane climbed to 250 to 300 feet when the airplane rolled left and went straight down. The airplane burst into flames and the cockpit and fuselage were consumed by fire. Continuity was established to the flight controls. The propeller exhibited extensive chordwise scratching and gouges to the leading edges of the blades. Both blades exhibited torsional twisting and were bent back. The impact of the propeller on the taxiway left a shallow 'U' shaped impression about 0.5 inch deep in the taxiway asphalt. The pilot and the three adult passengers had a combined weight of about 730 pounds. The airplane was approximately 164 pounds over the maximum gross weight at takeoff. The airplane departed with a 4 knot left quartering tailwind.
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: 192 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 145 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,242 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 29, 1998; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: AZO at 2:09 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 3,999 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from AZO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.