Piper PA-32-260 accident near St. Ignace, Michigan, December 4, 2011
On December 4, 2011 at about 1:10 am local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N33315, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near St. Ignace, Michigan. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to initiate visual flight in instrument meteorological conditions and subsequent failure to maintain adequate altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 4, 2011 · about 1:10 am local time
- Place
- St. Ignace, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N33315 · no longer on the register · serial 32-7500017
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed the mainland to drop a passenger off on an island located about 5 miles off shore. The pilot did not land on the island but was returning to the departure airport with the passenger still on board when the airplane contacted trees and terrain about 1.4 miles north of the departure airport. According to witnesses and weather observations, instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at both the departure and destination airports around the time of the accident, including rain and fog conditions. The flight was being operated under night visual flight rules. The accident site was located between a brightly lit casino/hotel resort and the airport. The pilot most likely located the casino/hotel and was following the shoreline back to the airport when the accident occurred. A witness reported hearing the airplane before the impact. No preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane were identified that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Drizzle/mist › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Fog › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,209 hours in all; 317 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 19, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,327 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 21, 2011; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Great Lakes Air INC
The flight
- Departed from: 83D St. Ignace MI
- Destination: MCD Mackinac Island MI
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 300 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.