# Accident 20111203030449A: Piper PA-32-260, St. Ingace, MI, December 3, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 3, 2011, 20:10 local time
- Place: St. Ingace, MI
- Airport: Mackinac County
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: ECEA
- Location: 44.9233° N, 84.7247° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.9233&lon=-84.7247&mi=10
- Aircraft: N33315, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N33315-2013-07-26) (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 PA-32-260
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-540 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 2,100 total, 111 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN12FA097](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12FA097) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20111203030449A

## Narrative

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

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

## 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 CEN12FA097](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12FA097), Dec 4, 2011: Piper PA-32-260 (N33315), St. Ignace, MI, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to initiate visual flight in instrument meteorological conditions and subsequent failure to maintain adequate altitude.

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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