The airplane nosed over during the landing roll. The 83-year-old pilot landed on the 1,944 foot long grass airstrip, and the airplane continued off the end of the airstrip and crossed over the paved intersecting runway. The airplane then continued to travel 60 feet where it struck an embankment, and another 30 feet before nosing over and substantially damaging the firewall. The pilot stated that a gust of wind caused him to lose directional control of the airplane before it nosed over. The wind reported at the Benton Harbor Airport, located 13 miles from the accident airport, was variable at 6 knots.

The pilot purchased the airplane in 1983, and the aircraft registration lapsed in 2011. The pilot told the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that he could not find his aircraft or pilot logbooks, and that he did not know when he last had a flight review. The pilot's last FAA airmen medical was dated December 15, 1983.