Piper J4A accident near Howell, Michigan, March 14, 1999
On March 14, 1999 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper J4A, registered N30412, was substantially damaged in an accident near Howell, Michigan (Livingston County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the snow covered terrain off the side of the runway while turning the airplane around on the runway. A factor associated with the accident was the snow covered terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 14, 1999 · about 6:00 pm local time · cases in 1999
- Place
- Howell, Michigan · Livingston County · cases near this airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J4A · all J4As on the register
- Registration
- N30412 · no longer on the register · serial 4-1193
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported the accident occurred as he was turning the airplane around on the runway after landing. He reported that the airplane nosed over after contacting snow off the left side of the runway. The runway was 4,300 feet long and 75 feet wide.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: gyroplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 4,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 78D Caro MI at 5:00 pm
- Destination: OZW
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 4,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 14 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N30412: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Piper J4 Cub Coupe 197 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,848 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental C-85 4,671 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Livingston County/Spencer J Hardy · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Michigan 2,107 since 1982 · 230 in the last ten years
- Michigan 7,224 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CHI99LA107.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.