Country
United States of America
code

MI

Crash of a Beechcraft Queen Air 80 off Houghton: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 23, 1968 at 1340 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft 80 Queen Air
Operator:
University of Wisconsin
Registration:
N303D
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Meteorological / Weather
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
LD-139
YOM:
1963
Location:
Houghton
Michigan
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
7100
Captain / Total hours on type:
140.00
Circumstances:
The aircraft was engaged in a mission consisting of atmospheric research. En route, in unknown circumstances, the airplane went out of control and crashed into a lake located in the region of Houghton, Michigan. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the three occupants was found.
Probable cause:
Due to lack of evidences, the cause of the accident could not be determined.
Final Report:

Crash of a Learjet 23 in Detroit

Date & Time: Dec 9, 1967 at 1257 LT
Type of aircraft:
Learjet 23
Operator:
Jet International
Registration:
N822LJ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
23-080
YOM:
1965
Location:
Detroit
Michigan
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
3500
Captain / Total hours on type:
815.00
Circumstances:
Landed hard at Detroit-City Airport, went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest. Both crew members were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Improper level off on part of the crew who selected the wrong runway relative to existing wind. Unfavorable wind conditions with cross wind 80° 10 knots gusting 18 knots prevaled at the time of the accident.
Final Report:

Crash of a Learjet 23 off Muskegon

Date & Time: Oct 25, 1967 at 1108 LT
Type of aircraft:
Learjet 23
Operator:
Executive Jet Sales
Registration:
N432EJ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Executive/Corporate/Business
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
23-028
YOM:
1965
Location:
Muskegon
Michigan
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
10278
Captain / Total hours on type:
820.00
Circumstances:
While on approach to Muskegon County Airport, both engines failed simultaneously. The aircraft stalled and crashed into Lake Michigan. All four occupants were quickly rescued while the aircraft was lost.
Probable cause:
Failure of both engines while on approach after the compressors stalled due to ice ingestion.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft Queen Air 65 in Sparta: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 21, 1967 at 1522 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft 65 Queen Air
Operator:
Registration:
N343NF
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
LC-97
YOM:
1961
Location:
Sparta
Michigan
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
15665
Captain / Total hours on type:
578.00
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll at Sparta-Miller Airport, one of the engine lost power. For unknown reason, the pilot decided to continue the takeoff procedure. Shortly after liftoff, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain height, struck trees and crashed in a wooded area. The airplane was destroyed and all five occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Powerplant failure for undetermined reason. The pilot failed to abort the takeoff procedure.
Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Grand Commander 680FL near Bangor: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 26, 1966 at 2000 LT
Type of aircraft:
Rockwell Grand Commander 680
Operator:
Registration:
N226AA
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
680-339-32
YOM:
1956
Location:
Bangor
Michigan
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
918
Captain / Total hours on type:
48.00
Circumstances:
While cruising in poor weather conditions, the pilot lost control of the airplane that entered an uncontrolled descent until it crashed in an open field located near Bangor. The airplane was destroyed and both occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were poor with rain falls, low clouds and fog. The pilot was not instrument rated.
Probable cause:
Inadequate preflight preparation on part of the pilot who continued under VFR mode in adverse weather conditions. Loss of control caused by a spatial disorientation.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft E18S in Charlevoix: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 25, 1966 at 1812 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft E18
Operator:
Q Airways
Registration:
N3721B
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
BA-49
YOM:
1955
Location:
Charlevoix
Michigan
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
1690
Captain / Total hours on type:
304.00
Circumstances:
While taking off from Charlevoix Airport, the twin engine aircraft encountered difficulties to gain height. It struck an embankment, went through a railway road and crashed in flames. Both pilots were seriously injured and both passengers were killed. More than three weeks later, on October 14, the captain died from his injuries. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
Improper operation of brakes and/or flight controls and part of the pilot-in-command who failed to abort the takeoff procedure. Inadequate supervision of flight.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed P-3A-60-LO Orion near Battle Creek: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 4, 1966 at 2040 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-3 Orion
Operator:
Registration:
152172
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Floyd Bennett Field – Glenview – Moffett
MSN:
185-5142
YOM:
1965
Flight number:
PE-05
Location:
Battle Creek
Michigan
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew departed Floyd Bennett Field Airport in New York on a flight to Moffett Airbase, California, with an intermediate stop at Glenview Airport, Illinois, under call sign PE-05. At 2035LT, while cruising at an altitude of 22,000 feet, the crew informed ATC about his position. Shortly later, the airplane entered a spin, crossed the last cloud layer at an altitude of 3,000 feet in a right turn and struck the ground in a 60° nose down attitude at a speed of 800 km/h. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all four crew members were killed. The wreckage was found seven miles northeast of Battle Creek.
Crew:
Lt William E. Xiques, pilot,
Lt John P. Fitzmaurice III, copilot,
ADJ2 Charles J. Lurvey, flight engineer,
ADJ3 Larry W. Battson, flight engineer.
Probable cause:
Investigations determined that there was no in-flight fire and no major structural failure had occurred. The plane was only about a year old at the time of the accident. The only clues were unintelligible voice transmissions at 2037 and again at 2039. The voice was masked by extreme high frequency background noise. Despite attempted computer analysis of the voice and an extended accident investigation, the cause was never determined. It was believed that some kind of catastrophic failure had occurred that incapacitated the crew. It was also surmised that it was possible that the windshield failed in-flight under decompression forces causing sound comparable to high velocity air in the cockpit. Not enough of the windshield was recovered to perform an analysis and come to any conclusions about this possibility.

Crash of a Learjet 23 near Jackson: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 21, 1965 at 1935 LT
Type of aircraft:
Learjet 23
Operator:
Registration:
N804LJ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Detroit – Wichita
MSN:
23-015
YOM:
1964
Location:
Jackson-Reynolds Field
Michigan
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
3419
Captain / Total hours on type:
642.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
8460
Copilot / Total hours on type:
22
Circumstances:
A Lear Jet Model 23, N804LJ, operated by the Lear Jet Corporation crashed eight miles east-northeast of Jackson, Michigan, at approximately 1935 e.s.t., on October 21, 1965. The pilot and copilot were killed. There were no passengers. The aircraft was destroyed by impact. The flight was operating in accordance with an Instrument Flight Rules flight plan from Detroit, Michigan to Wichita, Kansas, at an assigned altitude of Flight Level 250. The radar controller working the radar contact at 1933, and observed the target traveling in a southwest direction ". . . when the aircraft started a sharp turn to the right (i.e. north) (sic). As the aircraft passed through a northerly heading the beacon target disappeared from the radar." The aircraft was traversing an area of moderate to severe turbulence when it deviated from the assigned route.
Probable cause:
The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was a loss of adequate attitude reference resulting from AC electrical power failure under night, turbulent conditions.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft Queen Air 65 in Iron Mountain

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1965 at 2005 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft 65 Queen Air
Operator:
Hartzog-Schneck Aviation
Registration:
N575K
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Iron Mountain - Iron Mountain
MSN:
LC-173
YOM:
1965
Location:
Iron Mountain
Michigan
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
9402
Captain / Total hours on type:
52.00
Circumstances:
On final approach to Iron Mountain-Ford Airport, while on a local training mission, the crew voluntarily shut down one engine to simulate a failure. Due to insufficient speed, the airplane stalled and crashed in a field located few miles short of runway. While both occupants were slightly injured, the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The crew failed to maintain a sufficient speed on approach.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed 18 LearStar I in Detroit: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 14, 1965 at 1208 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 18 LodeStar
Operator:
Registration:
N512V
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Detroit - Detroit
MSN:
2580
YOM:
1943
Location:
Detroit-Willow Run (Ypsilanti)
Michigan
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
11008
Captain / Total hours on type:
3870.00
Aircraft flight hours:
7877
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at Detroit-Willow Run (Ypsilanti) Airport. On final approach to runway 05R, the instructor decided to make a go around. The crew increased engine power, raised the landing gear and deployed the flaps when the airplane stalled and crashed in a field and burst into flames. Both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control caused by the failure of a flap cable.
Final Report:
Subscribe to Michigan