# Accident 20171205022729A: Piper PA-32-260, Cheboygan, MI, December 5, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 5, 2017, 11:30 local time
- Place: Cheboygan, MI
- Airport: Cheboygan County
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: ECEA
- Location: 45.6542° N, 84.5139° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.6542&lon=-84.5139&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4887S, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4887S) (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: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,300 total, 700 in this make and model, 150 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA18CA081](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA081) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20171205022729A

## Narrative

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

ON DECEMBER 05, 2017 AT 11:30 AM EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-32-260 AIRCRAFT, N4887S, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY AN ON DEMAND AIR TAXI SERVICE, RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY SURFACE FOLLOWING A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WHILE LANDING ON RUNWAY 28 AT CHEBOYGAN COUNTY AIRPORT (SLH), CHEBOYGAN, MICHIGAN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND HIGH GUSTY WINDS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE COMMERCIAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 135 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN.  THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE BOIS BLANC ISLAND AIRPORT (6Y1) AT APPROXIMATELY 11:10 AM LOCAL.

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 28. AT AN APPROXIMATE ALTITUDE OF 10 FEET AGL, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED WIND SHEAR RESULTING IN ALL LOSS OF LIFT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE RUNWAY SURFACE BREAKING BOTH MAIN LANDING GEAR TIRES AND AXLES FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE STRUTS. THE AIRCRAFT THEN DEPARTED THE RUNWAY TO THE RIGHT, STRIKING THE TAIL AND HITTING A RUNWAY LIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN THE GRASS FACING 120 DEGREES FROM THE RUNWAY HEADING. THE PILOT NOTIFIED AIRPORT PERSONNEL OF THE ACCIDENT AND INSURED ALL PASSENGERS WERE UNINJURED. THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INCIDENT.

WEATHER REPORT AT (SLH) AIRPORT AT 11:14 AM LOCAL WAS: WIND SOUTHWEST AT 31 KNOTS GUSTING TO 51 KNOTS, VISIBILITY 10 STATUTE MILES, OVERCAST, TEMP. 37, DEW POINT 28, AND ALTIMETER 29.40.

RUNWAY SURFACE WAS DRY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

## 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 GAA18CA081](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA081), Dec 5, 2017: Piper PA 32 (N4887S), Cheboygan, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain the airplane’s rate of descent in gusting wind conditions resulting in a hard landing and runway excursion.

## Other reports on N4887S (2)

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

- [Accident 19980828022199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980828022199A), Aug 28, 1998: Piper PA32260 (N4887S), Sault Ste Marie, MI, Substantial damage. Acft lost control on takeoff and struck a rwy remaining sign. (-23) on August 28, 1998, at 1700 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32-260, N4887S, sustained…
- [Incident 19970117004359I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970117004359I), Jan 17, 1997: Piper PA32260 (N4887S), St Ignace, MI. Narrative: on January 17, 1997, at 1600 EST a PA-32-260 owned and operated by great lakes air inc. a 9 or less on demand air taxi made an off airport emergency…

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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