- Date
- May 24, 1994, 11:25 local (15:25 UTC)
- Place
- Mackinac Island, MI
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3558ECessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 7, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940524012279A
- Case key
- 9540
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Excessive airspeed and a failure to attain the proper touchdown point on the runway. Factors related to the accident were the wet runway and the fence which was contacted.
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.
Analysis
The pilot returned to the airport after discovering he had forgotten his approach plates. The pilot made a fast approach and landed long so an airplane behind him could land. The airplane traveled off the end of the wet runway and collided with a fence.
Factual narrative
On May 24, 1994, at 1125 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N3558E, operated by Vandenburg Air Service, Greenville, Michigan, and flown by a commercial instrument rated pilot overran the runway and collided with a fence while landing at the Mackinac Island Airport, Mackinac Island, Michigan, while on a personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot and three passengers were not injured. The flight originated from Mackinac Island, on May 24, 1994, at 1110 edt.
The pilot reported that shortly after taking off from Mackinac Island, he realized he had left his instrument approach plates at the airport so he elected to return. He reported that while in the traffic pattern, another airplane reported entering a crosswind behind him. He stated he made a fast approach and landed long in an attempt to clear the runway so the airplane behind him could land. The pilot reported that the runway was wet from recent rain and he was unable to stop prior to exiting the end of the runway. The airplane was substantially damaged when it contacted a fence approximately 10 feet off the end of the runway. The landing was made on runway 26 (3,501' x 75') and the winds were reported as being from 060 degrees at 3 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3558E
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17271586
- Airframe hours
- 3,525
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Vandenburg Air Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 28, 1994 · 20 hours before
- Destination
- 6D6 · Greenville, MI
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- Y84 · Ackinac Island, runway 26, 3,501 × 75 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
- 32
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,885 total · 200 in this make and model · 1,685 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- Y84
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N3558E · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.