# Accident 19970914037149A: Piper PA28235, Drummond Island, MI, September 14, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 14, 1997, 15:53 local time
- Place: Drummond Island, MI
- Damage: Damage unknown
- Phase of flight: Unknown/Not Reported
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.9283° N, 84.8256° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.9283&lon=-84.8256&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9399W, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9399W-2000-06-29) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-235 (registry code 7102810, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-235) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28235
- Reported engine: LYC O540*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 275 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI97FA308](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97FA308) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970914037149A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON SEPTEMBER 14, 1997, AT 1530 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME (EDT), A PIPER PA-28-235, N9399W, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, WAS OBSERVED TO DEPART DRUMMOND ISLAND, MICHIGAN, WITH THE INTENDED DESTINATION OF HOWELL, MICHIGAN. THE AIRPLANE, PILOT AND PASSENGER HAVE BEEN MISSING SINCE THAT TIME. A SEARCH DID NOT LOCATE EITHER THE AIRPLANE OR THE PILOT AND PASSENGER. THE PERSONAL 14 CFR FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE. THE AIRPLANE IS PRESUMED DESTROYED AND THE PILOT AND PASSENGER ARE PRESUMED TO HAVE SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES(.4)THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED DEPARTING THE AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 1553 EDT ON SEPTEMBER 14, 1997. AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE, THE TORONTO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER'S RADAR SHOWED THE AIRPLANE TO DEPART DRUMMOND ISLAND AND HEAD SOUTH 20 TO 25 MILES BEFORE TURNING 180 DEGREES AND DISAPPEARING OFF RADAR. WEATHER WAS REPORTED TO BE IMC. NEITHER THE AIRPLANE NOR THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE LOCATED. (-23) SAME NARRATIVE AS .19

## 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 CHI97FA308](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97FA308), Sep 14, 1997: Piper PA-28-235 (N9399W), St. Ignaces, MI, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The noninstrument-rated pilot's improper decision to depart in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in impact with terrain.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.