What happened
On August 28, 2025, at approximately 15:50 EDT, a Piper PA-24-250, registration N7412P, was involved in an accident near Gregory, Michigan. The flight originated from Toledo Suburban Airport (DUH) in Lambertville, Michigan, with the pilot and an owner traveling to Charlevoix Municipal Airport (CVX). After dropping off the owner, the pilot attempted to return to DUH alone.
About one hour and 20 minutes into the return flight, the engine suddenly stopped producing power. The pilot notified air traffic control (ATC) of the power loss and, after receiving information regarding nearby landing sites, elected to attempt a landing at Richmond Field Airport (69G). The aircraft came to rest in a field south of the airport. A post-impact fire occurred, which destroyed the cabin portion of the aircraft. The pilot sustained one serious injury.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the engine showed extensive damage from fire. While the engine was initially unable to rotate, investigators were able to rotate the remaining components after removing fire-damaged accessories and the accessory housing. Testing confirmed thumb compression on all cylinders and verified valve continuity. The accessory case gears remained intact, though oil drained from a broken crankcase during the inspection.
Investigators found that the vacuum pump drive shaft, the tachometer drive shaft, and the oil pump drive shaft had seized in their bores; however, this was determined to be consistent with the fire damage. The rear-mounted magnetos were too extensively damaged by the post-impact fire to be tested.