Piper PA-32-260 accident near Marquette, Michigan, November 24, 1988
On November 24, 1988 at about 5:14 am local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N3662W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marquette, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 24, 1988 · about 5:14 am local time
- Place
- Marquette, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N3662W · registry record · serial 32-569
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER ENCOUNTERING UNFORECAST ADVERSE WX AT HIS INTENDED DESTN, THE PLT CIRCLED THE AREA A COUPLE OF TIMES, THEN DIVERTED TO MARQUETTE, MI. HOWEVER, BEFORE REACHING THE ALTERNATE ARPT, THE ENG LOST POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES DRG A NIGHT LANDING. THE PLT PLANNED TO ARRIVE AT THE ORIGINAL DESTN WITH ENOUGH FUEL TO PROCEED TO AN ALTN ARPT. HE NOTED THAT SINCE THE ACFT HAD NO EGT GAUGE, HIS ATTEMPTS TO LEAN THE MIXTURE TO A MORE EFFICIENT FUEL/AIR RATIO WERE RELATIVELY IMPRECISE.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 255 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,679 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 17, 1988; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Northern Airmotive Partners
The flight
- Departed from: LAN Lansing MI
- Destination: Hancock MI
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 700 ft; not recorded at 700 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 am from MQT, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 | 1 | 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.