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Atlas / NTSB / CHI88LA118

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event CHI88LA118

1988-05-26 PLAINWELL, Michigan, United States Airport · 61D None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N20389

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

CESSNA 172M

Year of manufacture

1972 · 16 years old at event

Engine

LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)

Seats / Engines

4 seats · 1 engine

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A1A0BA

Registrant of record

KCN AERO CLUB INC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

DURING AN UNAUTHORIZED FLIGHT OF UNKNOWN DURATION, BY PERSON(S) UNKNOWN, AIRCRAFT CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED BY A WITNESS TO 'WOBBLE' AS IT APPROACHED THE RUNWAY. THE WITNESS THEN SAW THE AIRCRAFT 'CRASH' INTO THE GRASS AT THE LEFT SIDE OF THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT/OCCUPANT(S) OF THE AIRCRAFT HAD ABANDONED IT BY THE TIME POLICE AND THE WITNESS ARRIVED ON THE SCENE. POLICE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES. INJURY INDEX PRESUMED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1988_CHI88LA118.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.