Cessna 500 accident near Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, February 26, 2001
On February 26, 2001 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 500, registered N234UM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sault Ste Marie, Michigan (Sanderson Fiels airport). It was flown under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot exceeding the available runway distance during landing and the pilot's delay in executing a go-around. Factors relating to the accident were, the pilots improper in-flight planning/decision, the pilot disregarding the NOTAMS for the airport, the pilot failing to properly consider the warning given by the Unicom operator regarding the icy runway and nil braking action, the icy runway, and the drop-off/descending embankment.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 26, 2001 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sault Ste Marie, Michigan · Sanderson Fiels · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 500 · all 500s on the register
- Registration
- N234UM · no longer on the register · serial 105
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The captain said that he flew the VOR approach to runway 32. At 2,500 feet, the captain said that they were out of the clouds and initiated a visual straight-in approach. After aligning the airplane with the runway, the captain said he noticed that there was contamination on the runway, "maybe compacted snow or maybe ice with fresh snow over it." The captain briefed that they would perform a go-around if by midfield they were not decelerating adequately. The captain said that they touched down within the first third of the runway. Close to midfield the airplane fishtailed. Past midfield, the captain called a go-around. The first officer said that the captain added power and he retracted the airbrakes. The first officer exclaimed, "There is not enough runway! I braced myself as the aircraft went into the snow." The first officer said that at about 2 miles out from the runway, the unicom called and said that braking action was nil. A Notice to Airman, in effect at the time of the accident for the airport stated, "icy runway, nil braking."
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,770 hours in all; 1,410 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 990 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 31, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,142 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 2,408 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 31, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,329 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 18, 2000; 115 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,650 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W JT15D-1A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W JT15D-1A (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: YIP Ypsilanti MI at 2:35 pm
- Destination: ANJ Sault Ste Marie MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 32, 5,235 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from ANJ, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 |
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.