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CHI94LA342

1994-09-21 · PLAINWELL, Michigan, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 61D

Current FAA registration · N67324

Make / Model
CESSNA 152
Year of manufacture
1978 · 16 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-235 SERIES (115 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19780404
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A8E998

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

the pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of total experience.

Factual narrative

On September 21, 1994, at 1930 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, N67324, sustained substantial damage while landing at Otsego-Plainwell Municipal Airport, Plainwell, Michigan. The solo student pilot reported no injuries. The local 14 CFR Part 91 flight operated in visual meteorological conditions without flight plan. The local flight originated from Plainwell, Michigan, at 1830. In a written statement, the student pilot reported the airplane touched down on runway 27 (2,650' x 50') on its main landing gear with normal airspeed. The pilot stated the nose wheel began to shake after it touched down and the brakes were applied. In an effort to relieve pressure off the nose wheel, he pulled back on the yoke. As he pulled back, the airplane veered to the left. The pilot stated he was unable to maintain control of the airplane. The airplane departed the left side of the runway. The nose wheel dug into the soft ground and the airplane came to rest inverted. THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RUNWAY ON ITS MAIN LANDING GEAR WITH NORMAL AIRSPEED. AFTER THE NOSE WHEEL TOUCHED DOWN, IT BEGAN TO SHAKE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. IN AN EFFORT TO TAKE PRESSURE OFF THE NOSE WHEEL, THE PILOT PULLED BACK ON THE YOKE. AS HE PULLED BACK, THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE WENT OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, THE NOSE WHEEL DUG INTO THE SOFT GROUND, AND THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST INVERTED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1994_CHI94LA342.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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