# Accident 19990729010089A: Beech C23, Detroit Lakes, MN, July 29, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 29, 1999, 14:21 local time - Place: Detroit Lakes, MN - Airport: Detroit Lakes Airport - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 46.8110° N, 95.8392° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.8110&lon=-95.8392&mi=10 - Aircraft: N6996R, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6996R-2000-05-03) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Beech C23 (registry code 1151242, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-c23) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH C23 - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI99FA264](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99FA264) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990729010089A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ACFT DEPARTED DETROIT LAKES ON RWY 13, IT MADE A LEFT TURN AND STALLED, ACFT STRUCK GROUND IN NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE AND CAUGHT FIRE. THE PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES. (.19) ON JULY 29, 1999, AT 1420 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BEECH C23, N6996R, PILOTED BY A COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT, WAS DESTROYED DURING AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN AND SUBSEQUENT POSTIMPACT FIRE SHORTLY AFTER A TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 13 (4,500 FEET BY 75 FEET, DRY/ASPHALT) AT THE DETROIT LAKES AIRPORT, DETROIT LAKES, MINNESOTA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE FERRY FLIGHT WAS OPERATING UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 AND WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WITH EXACT DESTINATION UNKNOWN. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE TAKEOFF RUN WAS UNEVENTFUL, WITH THE AIRPLANE LIFTING-OFF THE RUNWAY WITH APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET OF RUNWAY REMAINING. THE WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO AN ALTITUDE OF 150-200 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL) BEFORE IT BEGAN AN INCREASING LEFT BANKING TURN TOWARD THE NORTH. THE WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO AN ALTITUDE OF 150-200 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL) BEFORE IT BEGAN AN INCREASING LEFT BANKING TURN TOWARD THE NORTH. THE WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS CLIMBING IN A NOSE HIGH PITCH ATTITUDE AND THAT THE AIRPLANE'S BANK WAS APPROXIMATELY 50-60 DEGREES WHEN THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE BEGAN TO PITCH DOWN. THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE'S MAXIMUM NOSE-DOWN PITCH WAS 70-80 DEGREES AT THE TIME OF THE IMPACT AND THAT THE AIRPLANES WINGS WERE LEVEL AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. A WEATHER OBSERVATION STATION LOCATED ON THE AIRPORT, REPORTED THE SKY CLEAR, VISIBILITY OF 10 STATUTE MILES, BAROMETRIC PRESSURE OF 29.69 INCHES OF MERCURY, AND THE WINDS 160-DEGREES MAGNETIC AT 5 KNOTS. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE WAS CONDUCTED ON JULY 30, 1999. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONSUMED BY THE POSTIMPACT FIRE FROM THE FIREWALL TO A POINT APPROXIMATELY 16 INCHES FORWARD OF THE EMPENNAGE. AILERON, ELEVATOR, AND RUDDER CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED. ENGINE CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED AND ONE PROPELLER BLADE EXHIBITED SCRATCHING IN THE PLANE OF ROTATION. (-23) A/C DEPARTED DTL ENROUTE TO ATL. AT SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET AFTER TAKEOFF STARTED LEFT TURN-WITH INCREASINF BANK TO APPROX. 60 DEGREES. THE NOSE THEN PITCHED DOWN APPROX. 70-80 DEGREES. A/C IMPACTED A QUARTER MILE FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY IN A CORN FIELD. POST CRASH FIRE DEMOLISHED THE A/C. PILOT WAS KILLED ON IMPACT. AIRMANS RECORDS, INCLUDING REGULATORY CHECK RIDE DATE, WERE DESTROYED IN THE CRASH. ## 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 CHI99FA264](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99FA264), Jul 29, 1999: Beech C23 (N6996R), Detroit Lakes, MN, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: Aircraft control not obtained/maintained by the pilot. A factor to the accident was the pilot's impairment due to drugs. ## Other reports on N6996R (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19840318039379I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19840318039379I), Mar 18, 1984: Beech C23 (N6996R), Hibbing, MN, Minor damage. Right main gear collapsed on solo students third landing. Gear housing assembly broke above bosses for the knee pin - [Accident 19800420009489A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800420009489A), Apr 20, 1980: Beech C23 (N6996R), Eveleth, MN, Substantial damage. Lost directional control on landing roll. No nose wheel steering defects noted. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.