# Accident 19970113000399A: Piper PA32260, St Ignace, MI, January 13, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 13, 1997, 07:15 local time
- Place: St Ignace, MI
- Airport: Mackinac County Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: ECEA
- Location: 45.8944° N, 84.7334° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.8944&lon=-84.7334&mi=10
- Aircraft: N33797, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N33797-2010-07-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32-260 (registry code 7103206, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-260) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA32260
- People aboard: 6
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,500 total, 350 in this make and model, 108 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI97LA051](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97LA051) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970113000399A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

LEFT WING STRUCK SNOW BANK ON LEFT SIDE OF RUNWAY ON TAKEOFF, SLID AROUND, DAMAGE LEFT WING, MAIN GEAR, NOSE GEAR. (.4)THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED TO THE LEFT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL.  THE LEFT WING CONTACTED A SNOWBANK WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE TURNING AROUND 180 DEGREES PRIOR TO COMING TO A STOP.                                           (-23) ON JANUARY 13, 1997, AT 0715 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-32-260, N33797, OPERATED BY GREAT LAKES AIR, INC., COLLIDED WITH A SNOWBANK WHILE TAKING OFF ON RUNWAY 27 AT THE ST. IGNACE-MACKINAC COUNTY AIRPORT, ST. IGNACE, MICHIGAN.  THE 14 CFR PART 135 PASSENGER FLIGHT WAS EN ROUTE TO MACKINAC ISLAND, MICHIGAN.  THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.  THE PILOT AND FIVE PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI97LA051](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97LA051), Jan 13, 1997: Piper PA-32-260 (N33797), St. Ignace, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain proper runway alignment during the takeoff roll. A factor associated with the accident was the snowbank which the airplane contacted.

## Other reports on N33797 (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19901227056349A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19901227056349A), Dec 27, 1990: Piper PA32260 (N33797), St Ignace, MI, Substantial damage. Deer ran in front of landing aircraft. Added power,missed deer but struck another unseen deer on touchdown.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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