Chippewa County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sault Ste Marie, Michigan 49783
Friday, August 28, 1998 17:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said that he was back taxiing on runway 16 to position himself for takeoff on runway 34. While taxiing, the pilot noticed a deer on the east side of the runway. The pilot taxied along the west side of the runway, just outside of the runway lights. The pilot looked back over his shoulder to look for the deer. When he turned around, the pilot said he noticed that the airplane was too close to the runway lights. The pilot swerved the airplane to the right, where it subsequently struck the runway marker. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain clearance between the airplane and the runway marker. A factor contributing to this accident was the runway marker.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/28/1998
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SAULT STE MARIE
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49783
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CHIPPEWA COUNTY AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CIU
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 340
Airport Elevation 799
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1654 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 155
Weather Observation Facility ID APN
Elevation of weather observation facility 689
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 80
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 510
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 2 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 835
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 16 2001 11:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4887S
NTSB Number CHI98LA330
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-32-260
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-260
Aircraft Serial Number 32-7100011
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 28 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 5989
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GREAT LAKES AIR, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 180 N. AIRPORT ROAD
Aircraft Owner City ST. IGNACE
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49781
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code CIU
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1930
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2001 6:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 34
Runway Length 7201
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --