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CHI97LA051

1997-01-13 · St. Ignace, Michigan, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 83D

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

the pilot's failure to maintain proper runway alignment during the takeoff roll. A factor associated with the accident was the snowbank which the airplane contacted.

Factual narrative

On January 13, 1997, at 0715 eastern standard time, a Piper PA- 32-260, N33797, operated by Great Lakes Air, Inc., collided with a snowbank while taking of on runway 27 (3,400' x 100') at the St. Ignace- Mackinac County Airport, St. Ignace, Michigan. The 14 CFR Part 135 passenger flight was en route to Mackinac Island, Michigan. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot and five passengers were not injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot reported on NTSB Form 6120.1/2, "A light snow was falling at the time. During the take-off I allowed the aircraft to drift to the left and the aircraft left wing hit a snow bank which turned the nose further to the left. The aircraft then turned 180 degrees and stopped on the runway." The airplane drifted to the left during the takeoff roll. The left wing contacted a snowbank which resulted in the airplane turning around 180 degrees prior to coming to a stop. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1997_CHI97LA051.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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