Piper PA-28-181 accident near Paw Paw, Michigan, August 13, 1999
On August 13, 1999 at about 2:46 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N281PF, was destroyed in an accident near Paw Paw, Michigan. It was a business 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 flew into known adverse weather, the pilot's lack of total instrument flight experience, and the pilot exceeded the design limits of the airplane. Factors included the pilot's total lack of experience in the type of operation and the pilot's overconfidence in his personal abilities.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 13, 1999 · about 2:46 pm local time
- Place
- Paw Paw, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N281PF · no longer on the register · serial 28-8190156
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-instrument rated pilot contacted the Green Bay AFSS at 0117 EST on August 13 and again at 0614 for a weather brief. Both weather briefers reported there was an Airmet for IFR conditions and the VFR flight was not recommended. At 0835 the pilot filed a VFR flight plan. The weather briefer reported that VFR flight was not recommended. Witnesses reported hearing an airplane in the clouds with its engine 'screaming,' and the 'throttle full open.' They reported the wing was separated from the airplane when the airplane came out of the clouds. The right wing, stabilator, and rudder were located within 0.5 miles of the main wreckage site. The inspection of the airplane revealed no pre-existent anomalies to the engine or airframe and all spar fracture surfaces were observed to be granular. The pilot had a total of about 248 flight hours; 81 hours in make and model. The pilot had flown 2.5 hours in the last six months. The pilot had logged no actual instrument flight time, and had a total of one hour of simulated instrument flight. The cloud bases were approximately 1,300 feet agl. A PIPEP reported that cloud tops near Kalamazoo (AZO), located 16 nm to the east, were at 7,000 feet msl about 12 minutes prior to the accident. NTAP data indicated the airplane's altitude was approximately 4,800 feet msl before it was lost to radar.
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: 248 hours in all; 81 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 180 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,613 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 5, 1999; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: National Flyers Association
The flight
- Departed from: FLD Fond Du Lac WI at 1:52 pm
- Destination: OSU Columbus OH
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from AZO, 18 miles away
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.