- Date
- January 13, 1997, 07:15 local (12:15 UTC)
- Place
- St. Ignace, MI
- Injuries
- 6 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N33797Piper PA-32-260
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report August 25, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970113000399A
- Case key
- 10506
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
the pilot's failure to maintain proper runway alignment during the takeoff roll. A factor associated with the accident was the snowbank which the airplane 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 airplane drifted to the left during the takeoff roll. The left wing contacted a snowbank which resulted in the airplane turning around 180 degrees prior to coming to a stop.
Factual narrative
On January 13, 1997, at 0715 eastern standard time, a Piper PA- 32-260, N33797, operated by Great Lakes Air, Inc., collided with a snowbank while taking of on runway 27 (3,400' x 100') at the St. Ignace- Mackinac County Airport, St. Ignace, Michigan. The 14 CFR Part 135 passenger flight was en route to Mackinac Island, Michigan. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot and five passengers were not injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed.
The pilot reported on NTSB Form 6120.1/2, "A light snow was falling at the time. During the take-off I allowed the aircraft to drift to the left and the aircraft left wing hit a snow bank which turned the nose further to the left. The aircraft then turned 180 degrees and stopped on the runway."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N33797
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-260
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-7500031
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-E4B5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Great Lakes Air, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 83D
- Destination
- MCD · Mackinac Isalnd, MI
- Airport
- 83D · Mackinac County Airport, runway 25, 3,400 × 100 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
- 33
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,500 total · 350 in this make and model · 750 as pilot in command · 108 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 800 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
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 N33797 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.