Cessna 182L accident near Mackinac Island, Michigan, July 10, 1998
On July 10, 1998 at about 1:15 am local time, a Cessna 182L, registered N42184, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mackinac Island, Michigan (Mackinac Island airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to attain a stabilized approach and a touchdown point. The factors contributing to the accident were the pilot in command's improper use of flaps and his not performing a go-around. An additional factor was the pilot in command not using all available runway during landing roll. The fence post which the aircraft impacted was also a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 1998 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Mackinac Island, Michigan · Mackinac Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182L · all 182Ls on the register
- Registration
- N42184 · registry record · serial 18258890
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane received substantial damage on impact with poles during a landing overrun on runway 26 (3501' x 75', dry/asphalt) at Mackinac Island Airport, on Mackinac Island, Michigan. The pilot reported the he had selected 20 degrees and 40 degrees of flaps on base and final respectively. He did not realize that the flaps were up until 1/3 down the runway at which point the airspeed was 80 KIAS. He had also stated that the aircraft touched down 1/2 down the runway. Upon examination of the aircraft, the flaps selector and associated indicator were indicating 0 degrees. A functional check was successfully performed three times by cycling the flaps through 0 degrees, 10 degrees, 20 degrees and 40 degrees.
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: 218 hours in all; 164 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 167 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 9, 1998; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-470-R-20 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Y47 New Hudson MI at 10:00 pm
- Destination: MCD
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 26, 3,501 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:15 am from MCD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.