Amateur-built TEENIE TWO accident near Stevensville, Michigan, July 18, 1998
On July 18, 1998 at about 11:30 pm local time, a amateur-built TEENIE TWO, registered N40512, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stevensville, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and preparation which resulted in fuel exhaustion and subsequent loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 1998 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Stevensville, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built TEENIE TWO
- Registration
- N40512 · no longer on the register · serial C001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that he was in cruise flight approximately 500 feet above the ground when the engine rpm began slowly decreasing. The pilot initiated a climb at full power, turned on the back-up battery, and applied carburetor heat. There was no change in engine rpm. The pilot planned to land on a road adjacent to a corn field. At the time, there were no people or cars in sight. While turning from base leg to final, 'the plane started stalling.' The pilot pushed the control stick forward to get the nose down. It was at that time that the engine lost all power. The pilot said that he was unable to get full control of the airplane back. The airplane impacted between the road and the corn field. Examination of the airplane's fuel system and engine revealed no evidence of fuel. No other anomalies with the airplane were revealed.
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: 1,500 hours in all; 11 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 55 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 601 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen 1600CC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C20 Berrien Springs MI at 11:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from BEH, 7 miles away
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.