19880405069699A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Beech B90 · St Paul, MN · April 5, 1988

Date: April 5, 1988 · 15:15 local
Place: St Paul, MN
Airport: St Paul Downtown Holman Fld
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: BERA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N181LL
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI88FA091
Reported as: Beech B90
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A135
People aboard: 5
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 5,005 total900 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N181LLRegistration cancelled Apr 9, 1991 · Beech B90S/N LJ440 Airframe modelBeech B90

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Uncommanded pitchover. Regained control after dive damaged airframe.

As the FAA filed it

UNCOMMANDED PITCHOVER. REGAINED CONTROL AFTER DIVE DAMAGED AIRFRAME.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI88FA091Accident · No injuriesField investigationFinal reportSt. Paul, MNMechanical failure and sticking of the pilots thumb operated trim switch causing nose down pitch command. The failure of the cabin heater and the low cabin temperature are contributing factors.Apr 5, 1988 · Substantial damage