What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On November 15, 2021, about 1245 eastern standard time, a Beech E-90, N290KA, was
Destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Boyne City, Michigan. The airline transport
Pilot and passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a title 14 code of
Federal regulations part 91 business flight.
A review of preliminary air traffic control (ATC) information revealed that the airplane
Departed oakland county international airport (ptk), pontiac, Michigan, at 1150 on an
Instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan and climbed to 16,000 ft mean sea level (MSL). The
Airplane was enroute to Boyne City municipal airport (N98), Boyne City, Michigan. The
Airplane descended toward N98 and the pilot was cleared for the RNAV GPS runway 27
Approach.
While on the final approach course, the airplane?s groundspeed gradually slowed from 129 to
88 Knots over a period of one minute and the last recorded location showed the airplane was
3.3 Nautical miles east of the runway 27 threshold, about 1,500 ft MSL (800 ft above ground
Level), and slightly left of the approach course. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground
About 600 ft west of the last recorded location. Broken tree limbs indicated the airplane was in
A steep descent of about 70° while on a west heading.
Two witnesses located about ¼ mile southeast of the accident site heard the airplane fly
Overhead, followed by a loud thud. The witnesses observed very heavy sleet with low visibility
Conditions for about 10 minutes, before and after the accident time. The sleet had a high liquid
Content and would melt quickly after ground impact. An airman?s meteorological information
(AIRMET) for icing was valid for the accident location.
Initial examination revealed the entire airplane was present at the accident site and no
Anomalies were noted with the airplane?s flight controls that would have precluded normal
Operation. The airplane was retained for further examination.
As the FAA filed it
ON NOVEMBER 15, 2021, ABOUT 1245 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A BEECH E-90, N290KA, WAS
DESTROYED WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR BOYNE CITY, MICHIGAN. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT
PILOT AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED AS A TITLE 14 CODE OF
FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 BUSINESS FLIGHT.
A REVIEW OF PRELIMINARY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) INFORMATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRPLANE
DEPARTED OAKLAND COUNTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (PTK), PONTIAC, MICHIGAN, AT 1150 ON AN
INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) FLIGHT PLAN AND CLIMBED TO 16,000 FT MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL). THE
AIRPLANE WAS ENROUTE TO BOYNE CITY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (N98), BOYNE CITY, MICHIGAN. THE
AIRPLANE DESCENDED TOWARD N98 AND THE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR THE RNAV GPS RUNWAY 27
APPROACH.
WHILE ON THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE, THE AIRPLANE?S GROUNDSPEED GRADUALLY SLOWED FROM 129 TO
88 KNOTS OVER A PERIOD OF ONE MINUTE AND THE LAST RECORDED LOCATION SHOWED THE AIRPLANE WAS
3.3 NAUTICAL MILES EAST OF THE RUNWAY 27 THRESHOLD, ABOUT 1,500 FT MSL (800 FT ABOVE GROUND
LEVEL), AND SLIGHTLY LEFT OF THE APPROACH COURSE. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED THE GROUND
ABOUT 600 FT WEST OF THE LAST RECORDED LOCATION. BROKEN TREE LIMBS INDICATED THE AIRPLANE WAS IN
A STEEP DESCENT OF ABOUT 70° WHILE ON A WEST HEADING.
TWO WITNESSES LOCATED ABOUT ¼ MILE SOUTHEAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE HEARD THE AIRPLANE FLY
OVERHEAD, FOLLOWED BY A LOUD THUD. THE WITNESSES OBSERVED VERY HEAVY SLEET WITH LOW VISIBILITY
CONDITIONS FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES, BEFORE AND AFTER THE ACCIDENT TIME. THE SLEET HAD A HIGH LIQUID
CONTENT AND WOULD MELT QUICKLY AFTER GROUND IMPACT. AN AIRMAN?S METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
(AIRMET) FOR ICING WAS VALID FOR THE ACCIDENT LOCATION.
INITIAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THE ENTIRE AIRPLANE WAS PRESENT AT THE ACCIDENT SITE AND NO
ANOMALIES WERE NOTED WITH THE AIRPLANE?S FLIGHT CONTROLS THAT WOULD HAVE PRECLUDED NORMAL
OPERATION. THE AIRPLANE WAS RETAINED FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.