Piper AEROSTAR 601P accident near Saint James, Michigan, August 24, 1993
On August 24, 1993 at about 3:50 pm local time, a Piper AEROSTAR 601P, registered N479CB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Saint James, Michigan (Welke airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE UNFAVORABLE WIND, AND HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS NEAR THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 1993 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Saint James, Michigan · Welke · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper AEROSTAR 601P AEROSTAR 6 · all AEROSTAR 601Ps on the register
- Registration
- N479CB · registry record · serial 61P-0642
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LANDING, THE AIRPLANE OVERRAN THE RUNWAY & STOPPED ABOUT 125 FEET BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END WITH A COLLAPSED NOSE GEAR. THE PILOT INDICATED HE THOUGHT THE WIND WAS FROM ABOUT 180 DEGREES AT 10 GUSTING 15 KNOTS. ABOUT 32 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST AT PELLSTON, MI, THE WIND WAS FROM 250 DEGREES AT 20 KNOTS. THE AIRPLANE LANDED ON RUNWAY 9, WHICH WAS 2682 FEET LONG; IT HAD AN EFFECTIVE LANDING LENGTH OF 2157 FEET DUE TO A 525 FOOT DISPLACED THRESHOLD, WHICH IN TURN WAS DUE TO TREES. THE AEROSTAR 601 OWNERS MANUAL SHOWED A REQUIRED LANDING DISTANCE OF 2180 FEET (FOR 5000 LBS GROSS WEIGHT, ZERO WIND, 45 DEGREES FLAPS, SEA LEVEL & A 3 DEGREE APPROACH ANGLE). THE PILOT STATED THAT AN AIRPORT GUIDE (THAT HE USED FOR PLANNING PURPOSES) LISTED THE RUNWAY AS 2650 FEET, AND WHEN HE TALKED WITH THE OPERATORS OF THE AIRPORT, THEY TOLD HIM THE RUNWAY WAS 3500 FEET LONG. A POST-ACCIDENT INSPECTION FAILED TO REVEAL ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,866 hours in all; 275 in this make and model; 117 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 1,705 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,634 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 24, 1993; 105 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,997 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-S1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ARR Aurora IL at 2:30 pm
- Destination: 6Y8
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9, 2,682 ft by 175 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from PLN, 110 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.