2 fatalities

1999 Port Huron to Freemont Flight Disappearance (N441CB)

Saint Clair Shores, United States of AmericaFlight

On April 1, 1999, a Piper PA-61 Aerostar (Ted Smith 601) (registration N441CB) operated by Manfred W. Engler was involved in an aviation accident near Saint Clair Shores, United States of America in flight. 2 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Undetermined as the aircraft was not recovered. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary report: the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archiveUpdated 2026-09-03Data APIEditorial standards

An airplane departed Port Huron, Michigan, on April 1, 1999, for Freemont, Ohio. The aircraft was not recovered; the passenger's body was found in Lake St. Clair on May 1, 1999, and the pilot's body was found on July 2, 1999.

Departure and Intended Route On April 1, 1999, at 1130 est, the airplane took off from Port Huron, Michigan. It was scheduled to arrive in Freemont, Ohio. An employee of the pilot's company said the pilot was going to meet a customer there. The employee said the pilot would have taken the shortest route, over Lake St. Clair, Ontario Province, and Lake Erie, to reach Freemont, Ohio. ## Search and Recovery At 1230 est, the customer called the company inquiring about the pilot. An ALNOT was issued at 1803 est. Search and rescue operations were conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard, Civil Air Patrol, and the Canadian Search and Rescue Center. The search was suspended on April 10, 1999, at 2125 est. On May 1, 1999, the passenger's body was discovered in the Lake St. Clair shipping channel, approximately 6.9 miles east of St. Clair Shores, Michigan. On July 2, 1999, the pilot's body was found in Lake St. Clair. Parts of the airplane identified from the make and model of aircraft were recovered with the bodies.

Probable cause

Undetermined as the aircraft was not recovered.