# Accident 20161201022529A: Cessna 340, Fargo, ND, December 1, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 1, 2016, 16:29 local time
- Place: Fargo, ND
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 46.9206° N, 96.8158° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.9206&lon=-96.8158&mi=10
- Aircraft: N123KK, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N123KK-2017-03-10) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 340 (registry code 2076404, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-340) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental TSIO-520 series (registry code 17040, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 340
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR TSIO-520 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN17FA045](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17FA045) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20161201022529A

## Narrative

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

ON DECEMBER 1, 2016, AT 1629 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 340, N123KK, IMPACTED TERRAIN

ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTH OF HECTOR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (FAR), FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA. THE PILOT,

THE SOLE OCCUPANT ON BOARD, WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED. THE AIRPLANE WAS

REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY WEATHER MODIFICATION, LLC, FARGO, UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14

CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 AS A BUSINESS FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS

PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN

FILED. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM FAR ABOUT 1430.

UNDER CONTRACT WITH THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA), THE PILOT

HAD TAKEN AIR SAMPLES AT VARIOUS ALTITUDES OVER CARRINGTON, NORTH DAKOTA, AND WAS RETURNING TO

FAR WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE PILOT WAS BEING VECTORED TOWARDS BUT OVERSHOT THE

RUNWAY 36 LOCALIZER. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE PILOT REPORTED AN ONBOARD FIRE. THE AIRPLANE, WHICH

WAS AT 1,700 FEET, LOST ALTITUDE RAPIDLY AND RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST.

EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED EVIDENCE CONSISTENT WITH THE AIRPLANE STRIKING THE

GROUND AT A HIGH VELOCITY-LOW ANGLE OF IMPACT IN A LEFT WING SLIGHTLY LOW ATTITUDE. THERE WAS A

GROUND FIRE AFTER IMPACT

## 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 CEN17FA045](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17FA045), Dec 1, 2016: Cessna 340 (N123KK), Fargo, ND, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The loose fuel fitting on the combustion heater that leaked a lean fuel-air mixture into the nose baggage compartment. The mixture was most likely ignited by the combustion heater, blowing off the…

## Other reports on N123KK (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20000217001599I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000217001599I), Feb 17, 2000: Cessna 340CESSNA (N123KK), Mankato, MN, Minor damage. (-23) Aircraft landed with possible side load of nose gear in snow and iciing conditions. Trunion on left side of nose gear snapped. Inspection revealed no…
- [Incident 19930218005239I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930218005239I), Feb 18, 1993: Cessna 340CESSNA (N123KK), Lewiston, ID, Minor damage. One engine seemed to sag on takeoff. Aborted. Struck taxi lights while attempting to turn off onto another runway.

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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