Event CHI01LA269

Factual narrative

On August 09, 2001, at 1345 eastern daylight time, a Cessna P210N, N5268W, piloted by a private pilot was destroyed when it impacted trees and terrain, and subsequently burned. The airplane was approaching to land on runway 26 (3,501 feet by 75 feet, asphalt), at the Mackinac Island Airport, Mackinac Island, Michigan. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions and was on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The pilot and one passenger received serious injuries, and one passenger received minor injuries. The flight originated from the Palwaukee Municipal Airport, Wheeling, Illinois, at an undetermined time. In a written statement the pilot said that he was in the traffic pattern for runway 26 when he encountered turbulence. He said that the stall warning horn sounded and he added power, but could not clear the trees. He said that he elected to retract the flaps, hold his attitude, and clear the trees if possible, or land in the trees. He made no mention of mechanical difficulties. An airline transport pilot vacationing on the island witnessed the accident. He said that he saw the single engine Cessna airplane make an approach to land. He said that he heard the airplane apply power and he, "...knew the pilot was going around for some reason." He said that he saw the airplane make a second approach to land and that the downwind and base legs of the traffic pattern looked normal. He said that on the final approach the airplane, "...got very low." He estimated that the airplane was no more than 100 feet above the trees when it passed over the eastern shoreline bluff of the island. He said that the airplane then made a steep climbing turn to the left at a pitch of 30 to 40 degrees nose up. He said that he could see the top of both wings before the airplane passed from his view behind the trees. The approach end of runway 26 is about 4,000 feet from the eastern shoreline. The weather reporting station located at the destination airport recorded the weather at 1335 as: Winds 250 degrees at 9 knots gusting to 19 knots; Wind direction variable between 210 and 320 degrees; Visibility 3 statute miles with haze; Sky condition clear; Temperature 26 degrees Celsius; Dewpoint 23 degrees Celsius; Altimeter setting 29.74 inches of mercury. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies that could be associated with a pre-impact condition. The airplane impacted trees and terrain short of the runway while landing. The pilot said that he encountered turbulence in the traffic pattern. He said that the stall warning horn sounded and he added power, but could not clear the trees. He said that he elected to retract the flaps, hold his attitude and clear the trees if possible, or land in the trees. He made no mention of mechanical difficulties. A witness said that he saw the airplane as it made its approach to land. He said that on the final approach the airplane, "...got very low." He estimated that the airplane was no more than 100 feet above the trees when it passed over the eastern shoreline bluff of the island. He said that the airplane then made a steep climbing turn to the left at a pitch of 30 to 40 degrees nose up. He said that he could see the top of both wings before the airplane passed from his view behind the trees. The wind was 250 degrees at 9 knots gusting to 19 knots and the wind direction was variable between 210 and 320 degrees. The visibility was restricted by haze. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies that could be associated with a pre-impact condition. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12