Aero Vodochody Aero. Works L-39C accident near Traverse City, Michigan, July 3, 1998
On July 3, 1998 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Aero Vodochody Aero. Works L-39C, registered N7868M, was destroyed in an accident near Traverse City, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Undetermined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 1998 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Traverse City, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Vodochody Aero. Works L-39C
- Registration
- N7868M · no longer on the register · serial 482846
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane took off at 1831 edt. At 1844 edt, the tower controller asked the pilot of the airplane for a position report. The pilot replied that he was 27 miles northeast of the airport tracking the 246 degree radial. The pilot told the tower that he would call them again when he got within five miles [of the airport]. The airplane was tracked by air traffic control radar making a turn and tracking due west at 300 miles per hour. The airplane was tracked to a position of 344 degrees at 31.1 miles off the Traverse City (TVC) VOR. Radar contact was lost as the airplane approached South Fox Island (TVC VOR 177 degree radial at 9.6 miles). One minute and 20 seconds after radar contact was lost, a fast moving primary target was tracked to a position 9 miles north of South Fox Island, where the target was lost. A search for the airplane was initiated at 2057 edt. On July 4, 1998, at 2235 edt, search operations were suspended.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,500 hours in all; 35 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 954 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 24, 1998; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ivchenco AI-25TL (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TVC at 10:31 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 11,000 ft; scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from TVC, 34 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.