Piper PA-22-150 accident near Rogers City, Michigan, July 7, 1999
On July 7, 1999 at about 9:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N9964D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rogers City, Michigan (Presque Isle County Arpt. 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 INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR THE CROSSWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 1999 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- Rogers City, Michigan · Presque Isle County Arpt. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N9964D · no longer on the register · serial 22-6755
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he flew over the airport, observed the wind sock '...wiggling up and down...,' and decided to land on runway 27 because the winds were from 290 degrees at 10 to 20 miles per hour. He said he knew the winds were coming from the airplane's right side and were gusty. The pilot said a strong gust of wind pushed the airplane toward the left side of the runway. The pilot said he applied full right aileron control and the hand brakes as a crosswind correction. The pilot said the nose wheel collided with a runway edge light that caused the nose wheel fork to separate from the nose landing gear strut. The airplane nosed over shortly after that. The Piper PA-22 series airplanes do not have individual toe brakes. The brake system is activated by a brake handle that causes both brakes to work simultaneously. Reported winds at the time of the accideent were 330 degrees with a steady wind at 17 miles per hour (mph) and gusts to 26 mph. According to the regulations the airplane was certified under, its demonstrated cross wind component is 10 mph. The FAA's cross wind component chart showed the accident airplane's steady wind cross wind component was 16 mph. The airplane's demonstrated cross wind figure is not published in the manufacturer's owner's handbook or airplane flight manual.
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: 215 hours in all; 59 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 155 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,830 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1999; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 57D New Haven MI at 8:30 pm
- Destination: PZQ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,017 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Wind: from 330° at 15 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:44 pm from PZQ, 1 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.