CHI86FA108

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-46-310P · Boyne Falls, MI · March 23, 1986

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
March 23, 1986, 16:43 local (21:43 UTC)
Place
Boyne Falls, MI
Injuries
2 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N43769Piper PA-46-310P
Weather
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19860323007559A
Case key
13250

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

In flight encounter with weatherApproach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr)
Preflight planning/preparation - inadequatePilot in commandFactor
Preflight briefing service - inadequateAtc personnel(fss)Factor
Weather condition - low ceilingFactor
Weather condition - snowFactor
Weather condition - high windFactor
Weather condition - gustsFactor
Weather condition - obscurationFactor
Weather condition - below approach/landing minimumsFactor
In flight collision with terrain/waterApproach
Ifr procedure - not followedPilot in commandCause
Minimum descent altitude - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Descent - not correctedPilot in commandCause

Analysis

After the plt was cleared for an rnav-b apch, the acft crashed on hilly trrn aprx 3 mi se of the arpt at an elev of 750'MSL. Impact occurred after the acft had turned to the sse & was dscndg. Min dscnt alt (mda) for the apch was 1680'. No preimpact mechanical problems were fnd. Aprx 4 hrs bfr takeoff, fss psnl provided a wx briefing. There was no wx rprtg stn at the destn, but the area forecast was for marginal VMC with isolated visibilities of 3 to 5 mi in lgt snw showers. Pellston (aprx 25 mi away) was forecast for a chance of 1200' overcast & 3 mi vis with lgt snw showers, but this info was not given to the plt. Later, when the plt filed an IFR flt plan, he did not update his wx briefing. While en route, he checked the pellston & traverse city wx & was advised they had indef or obscd ceilings of 1500' or less with gusty wnds & lgt snw squalls. According to witnesses, there were snw showers or squalls in the acdnt area with 1/4 to 3/4 mi vis. The missed apch procedure called for: rgt climbing turn to 3000', proceed to the iaf (8 mi south of arpt) & hold.

Aircraft

Registration
N43769
Reported as
Piper PA-46-310P
Category
Airplane
Serial number
46-8508007
Engine
Continental TSIO-520-BE1, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Richard H. Turner
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · November 15, 1985
Departed
DTW · Detroit, MI
Destination
D83 · Boyne City, MI
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
BFA · Boyne Mountain, runway 35, 4,300 × 80 ft, asphalt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
52
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Toxicology
Performed
Flight hours
1,168 total · 1,100 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Wind
300° at 40 knots
Temperature
28 °F

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.