Harbor Springs Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Harbor Springs, Michigan 49740
Sunday, March 13, 1994 18:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING BEFORE THE FLIGHT DURING WHICH A POSSIBLE CHANCE OF A LITTLE BIT OF ICING AT 6000 FEET WAS MENTIONED. DURING THE FLIGHT AT ALTITUDES OF 4,000 FEET AND BELOW, THE AIRCRAFT PICKED UP HEAVY ICING. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE AIRPORT DURING THE VOR APPROACH SO HE MADE A TURN BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT IN AN ATTEMPT TO GAIN VISUAL CONTACT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF ICE ON THE AIRPLANE, HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE WITH FULL POWER. AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING WAS MADE DURING WHICH THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED TREES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER DECISION TO CONTINUE FLIGHT INTO ICING CONDITIONS AFTER THE CONDITIONS WERE FIRST ENCOUNTERED. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE TREES CONTACTED DURING THE LANDING ROLL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/13/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1845
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City HARBOR SPRINGS
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49740
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HARBOR SPRINGS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID D87
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 3
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 800
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1645 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID PLN
Elevation of weather observation facility 720
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 700
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 0
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 66
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 13 1921 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2117
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 10:48AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N83JF
NTSB Number CHI94LA104
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32RT-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32RT-30
Aircraft Serial Number 32R-7985023
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 5 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 116
Airframe Hours 1775
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HAGIN, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3216 WOODVIEW LAKE RD.
Aircraft Owner City W. BLOOMFIELD
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48323
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PTK
Departure City PONTIAC
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1710
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --