- Date
- August 28, 1998, 17:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Sault Ste Marie, MI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N4887SPiper PA-32-260
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980828022199A
- Case key
- 44072
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 clearance between the airplane and the runway marker. A factor contributing to this accident was the runway marker.
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 said that he was back taxiing on runway 16 to position himself for takeoff on runway 34. While taxiing, the pilot noticed a deer on the east side of the runway. The pilot taxied along the west side of the runway, just outside of the runway lights. The pilot looked back over his shoulder to look for the deer. When he turned around, the pilot said he noticed that the airplane was too close to the runway lights. The pilot swerved the airplane to the right, where it subsequently struck the runway marker. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.
Factual narrative
On August 28, 1998, at 1730 eastern daylight time (edt), a Piper PA-32-260, N4887S, sustained substantial damage when during back-taxi on runway 16 at the Chippewa County Airport, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, the airplane struck a runway distance remaining marker. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. There was no flight plan on file. The pilot and passenger on board reported no injuries. The local flight was originating at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
In his written statement, the pilot said that he was back taxiing on runway 16 to position himself for takeoff on runway 34. While taxiing, the pilot noticed a deer on the east side of the runway. The pilot taxied along the west side of the runway, just outside of the runway lights. The pilot looked back over his shoulder to look for the deer. When he turned around, the pilot said he noticed that the airplane was too close to the runway lights. The pilot swerved the airplane to the right, where it subsequently struck the runway marker.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane at the airport. The leading edge of the airplane's right wing was crushed inward. The forward spar was bent aft. The right horizontal stabilizer was bent back at the leading edge and punctured inward underneath. Flight control continuity was confirmed. No anomalies were revealed in the airplane's engine or other airplane systems.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4887S
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-260
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-7100011
- Airframe hours
- 5,989
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-E4B5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Great Lakes Air, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 28, 1998 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- CIU
- Airport
- CIU · Chippewa County Airport, runway 34, 7,201 × 200 ft, concrete
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
- 37
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 7,900 total · 600 in this make and model · 7,900 as pilot in command · 300 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- APN, 80 nm away
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 N4887S · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.