# Accident 19981017029469A: Beech 65B80, Brainerd, MN, October 17, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 17, 1998, 00:33 local time
- Place: Brainerd, MN
- Airport: Brainerd-Crow Wing Co -Walter
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Final Approach-IFR
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: BEMA
- Location: 46.3495° N, 94.1900° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.3495&lon=-94.1900&mi=10
- Aircraft: N138BA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N138BA-2012-04-25) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech 65-B80 (registry code 1152812, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-65-b80) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IGSO-540-B1A (registry code 41535, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-igso-540-b1a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH 65B80
- Reported engine: LYC IO720A1B
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 4,738 total, 1,813 in this make and model, 127 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI99LA008](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA008) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981017029469A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.19) ON OCTOBER 17, 1998, AT 0033 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BEECH 65-B80, N138BA, REGISTERED TO BEMIDJI AVIATION SERVICES, INC. OF BEMIDJI, MINNESOTA, AND OPERATED BY AN INSTRUMENT RATED COMMERCIAL PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN ONE-QUARTER MILE SHORT OF RUNWAY 23 AT BRAINERD, MINNESOTA. THE PILOT WHO RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES REPORTED THAT HIS ATTENTION WAS DIVERTED DURING THE APPROACH AND THE AIRPLANE ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN A CONTROLLED DESCENT INTO THE TERRAIN. THE FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN. THE 14 CFR PART 91 POSITIONING FLIGHT DEPARTED MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, EXACT TIME UNKNOWN. (-23) THE FLIGHT WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER PART 91 AS A FERRY/REPOSITIONING FLIGHT WITHOUT CARGO ON BOARD. ARTCC OPERATING ON EXTENDED RANGE, UNABLE TO GIVE RADAR VECTORS. PILOT REQUESTED ILS23 APPROACH @BRD AND WAS CLEARED FOR THE APPROACH AND TO MAINTAIN 4000' UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE, WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO CONTACT CENTER AFTER LANDING CLOSE FLIGHT PLAN. WHEN A/C FAILED TO CONTACT CENTER, SEARCH AND RESCUE PROCEDURES WERE                                                                           INITIATED. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE APPROACH SEEMED TO BE NORMAL UNTIL REACHING A POINT WHERE HE SHOULD HAVE VISUALLY ACQUIRED THE RUNWAY. AT THIS POINT DURING THE APPROACH HE ATTEMPTED TO ACTIVATE PILOT CONTROLLED AIRPORT LIGHTING BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. HE CHECKED THE SELECTED RADIO FREQUENCY IN THE NUMBER 2 RADIO, FOUND THAT HE HAD AN INCORRECT FREQUENCY SET AND PROCEEDED TO SELECT THE CORRECT FREQUENCY. DUE TO THE PREOCCUPATION WITH THE RADIO FREQUENCY PROBLEM, THE AIRCRAFT WAS ALLOWED TO DEVIATE BELOW THE GLIDE SLOPE AND LEFT OF THE DESIRED COURSE. AS THE PILOT INITIATED A CORRECTION TO RETURN TO THE LOCALIZER AND GLIDE SLOPE, THE A/C IMPACTED THE SWAMP. THE THREE LANDING GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT, FOLLOWED BY SEPARATION OF THE RIGHT ENGINE FROM THE WING. THE SIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO ALL MAJOR STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS AND SLID OR SKIPPED TO THE SHORE APPROX. 150 YARDS AWAY. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST SHORT OF THE LARGE STAND OF TREES AT THE EDGE OF THE SWAMP. THE PILOT WAITED APPROX. ONE HOUR FOR THE RAIN TO LET UP TO THE POINT WHERE HE COULD OBSERVE THE REFLECTION OF THE AIRPORT BEACON. UNABLE TO PROCEED THROUGH THE HEAVY GROWTH OF TREES/BRUSH, THE PILOT    PROCEEDED ON FOOT THROUGH THE SWAMP TO AN AIRPORT LIGHTING TOWER, WHICH HE CLIMBED AND USED HIS FLASHLIGHT TO INDICATE HIS POSITION TO THE RESCUE WORKERS. HE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE HE WAS TREATED FOR FACIAL LACERATIONS AND WAS RELEASED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI99LA008](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA008), Oct 17, 1998: Beech 65-B80 (N138BA), Brainerd, MN, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain the proper glidepath and his diversion of attention during a critical phase of flight.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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