Piper PA22 accident near Hillsdale, Michigan, September 17, 2018
On September 17, 2018 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 1954 Piper PA22, registered N3544A, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Hillsdale, Michigan (Hillsdale Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during the landing flare, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 2018 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hillsdale, Michigan · Hillsdale Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA22 135, built 1954 · all PA22s on the register
- Registration
- N3544A · no longer on the register · serial 22-1818
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during landing, he flared too high, and the airplane aerodynamically stalled. He added that the airplane landed hard, the nose landing gear collapsed, the airplane veered right off the runway into the dirt, and it then nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, and the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Hard landing during landing
- Landing gear collapse during landing
- Loss of control on ground during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,951 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JYM Hillsdale MI at 10:00 pm
- Destination: JYM Hillsdale MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 10:15 pm from KJYM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on December 12, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.