20111203030449A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32-260 · St. Ingace, MI · December 3, 2011

Date: December 3, 2011 · 20:10 local
Place: St. Ingace, MI
Airport: Mackinac County
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: ECEA
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N33315
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN12FA097
Reported as: Piper PA-32-260
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-540 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,100 total111 in the last 90 days

N33315Registration cancelled Jul 26, 2013 · Piper PA-32-260S/N 32-7500017 · Built 1975 Airframe modelPiper PA-32-260 Engine modelLycoming 0-540 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Aircraft departed 83D for a short flight to kmcd. The ASOS weather at mcd at the take off time was 300 feet broken with good visibility. No weather observation is available at 83DTHE flight was returning to 83D when it crashedno mechanical reason for this accident has yet been identified

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED 83D FOR A SHORT FLIGHT TO KMCD. THE ASOS WEATHER AT MCD AT THE TAKE OFF TIME WAS 300 FEET BROKEN WITH GOOD VISIBILITY. NO WEATHER OBSERVATION IS AVAILABLE AT 83DTHE FLIGHT WAS RETURNING TO 83D WHEN IT CRASHEDNO MECHANICAL REASON FOR THIS ACCIDENT HAS YET BEEN IDENTIFIED

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN12FA097Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportSt. Ignace, MIThe pilot’s decision to initiate visual flight in instrument meteorological conditions and subsequent failure to maintain adequate altitude.Dec 4, 2011 · Substantial damage