Piper PA-28-235 N9399W

Summary

On 14 September 1997 at about 20:15 local time, a Piper PA-28-235 registered N9399W was involved in an accident near St. Ignaces, Michigan, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 September 1997 at 20:15

Classification

Accident

Location

St. Ignaces, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Mackinac County (83D)

Coordinates

45.9283, -84.8256

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-235

Registration

N9399W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Drummond Island → Howell

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI97FA308

2 people died.

The noninstrument-rated pilot's improper decision to depart in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in impact with terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The noninstrument-rated pilot departed for a cross-country flight in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). The airplane was reported missing the following day. Radar data showed the airplane traveling south from the airport about 25 miles over Lake Huron, then turning north before disappearing from radar. The airplane was not located during the initial search but was found about 21 years after it was reported missing in a heavily forested area. A friend of the pilot stated that, while flying together in IMC, he allowed the pilot to assume control of the airplane three times and that, each time, the pilot experienced vertigo and the friend had to intervene to regain airplane control. Weather conditions along the flight route included cloud ceilings as low as 400 ft above ground level. It is possible the pilot departed believing he could fly under the cloud ceilings. However, radar data showing the airplane flying south and then turning north before disappearing from radar indicates that the airplane likely encountered weather too adverse for the pilot to navigate through and that the pilot subsequently altered the flight route to find improved weather or an alternate landing location but subsequently crashed the airplane. Based on available evidence, it could not be determined if the pilot experienced vertigo, spatial disorientation, or controlled flight into terrain due to the low visibility conditions. Given the weather conditions and that the pilot was not instrument rated, he should not have departed in IMC; instead, he should have delayed his departure until the weather conditions improved to allow flight in visual meteorological conditions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.