Casa C-212-CC accident near Romulus, Michigan, March 4, 1987
On March 4, 1987 at about 7:34 pm local time, a Casa C-212-CC, registered N160FB, was destroyed in an accident near Romulus, Michigan (Detroit Metro airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 9 people were killed, 7 people were seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 4, 1987 · about 7:34 pm local time
- Place
- Romulus, Michigan · Detroit Metro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 9 people were killed, 7 people were seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Casa C-212-CC
- Registration
- N160FB · no longer on the register · serial 160
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CAPT MADE A STEEP, SHORT, FAST VISUAL APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY BEHIND A DEPARTING DC-9. THE EVIDENCE INDICATES THE CAPT PLACED THE POWER LEVERS INTO BETA MODE TO SLOW THE AIRCRAFT RAPIDLY AND MAKE A SHORT FIELD LANDING. AN ASYMMETRIC THRUST CONDITION RESULTED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS VERY CLOSE TO THE GROUND AND THE CAPT COULD NOT RECOVER PRIOR TO IMPACT. IMPACT FORCES WERE SURVIVABLE. HOWEVER, THE FATALITIES WERE ATTRIBUTED TO A POSTCRASH FIRE, LACK OF FIRE-BLOCKING MATERIAL, AND POORLY DESIGNED AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED INCORRECT SPRINGS INSTALLED IN THE PROPELLERS AND HIGHER THAT NORMAL FUEL FLOW SETTINGS. THE EXAMINATION OF THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS INDICATED INEFFECTIVEMANAGEMENT OF BILATERAL TYPE CERTIFICATION BY THE FAA. (FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, SEE NTSB/AAR-88/08.)
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,953 hours in all; 3,144 in this make and model; 293 in the last 90 days; 101 in the last 30 days; 15,821 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,918 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 22, 1987; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 16,976 lb
- Seats: 25
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331-10R (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Fisher Brothers Aviation INC.
The flight
- Departed from: CLE Cleveland OH at 6:55 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21R, 10,501 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from DTW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 7 | 7 | 2 |
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.