Chippewa County International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sault Ste Marie, Michigan 49788
Monday, August 14, 2006 9:18 EDT

While en route, about 23 minutes before the accident, the pilot reported that he had the current weather at the destination airport. At that time, the reported weather was scattered clouds at 900 feet above ground level (agl), an overcast ceiling at 3,500 feet agl, and a visibility of 3 miles. At the time of the accident, the airport's reported weather was 300 feet agl overcast ceiling and a 1-1/4 mile visibility. The flight was cleared for the VOR-A instrument approach procedure, circle to land runway 27. According to aircraft radar track data, the airplane descended below the approach's authorized minimum descent altitude (MDA) about 2.6 miles northeast of the airport. The airplane leveled off about 175 feet below the MDA until crossing over the intersection of the airport's two runways. The airplane then made a left turn to the east, and paralleled runway 27 about 600 feet south of the runway. The airplane's last radar return was at 185 feet agl and about 0.5 miles east of the runway threshold. The point-of-impact was about 725 feet north of the final radar return. Numerous witnesses reported seeing the airplane traveling eastbound approximately 150 and 200 feet agl, and then perform a left turn back towards the airport before impacting nose first into the terrain. Several of those witnesses reported that the airplane reached a bank angle of approximately 90 degrees during the turn. The airplane's altitude and proximity to the runway prevented an approach to landing using normal flight maneuvers. A majority of the airframe was destroyed during a post-impact ground fire. Examination of the recovered wreckage revealed no evidence of a pre-impact mechanical malfunction. According to FAA regulations," no pilot may continue below the authorized MDA unless the airplane is continuously in a position from which a descent to a landing on the intended runway can be made at a normal rate of descent using normal maneuvers, the flight visibility is not less than the visibility prescribed for the instrument approach procedure, and the runway environment is distinctly visible and identifiable to the pilot."

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the circling approach and his failure to perform a missed approach when the airplane was no longer in a position to land using normal flight maneuvers. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to operate below the approach's authorized minimum descent altitude (MDA) before having the airport/runway environment visible. Additional factors were the low cloud ceiling and visibility.