- Date
- March 5, 2020, 08:15 local (14:15 UTC)
- Place
- Rhinelander, WI
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N706FXCessna 208
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Wrong surface or wrong airport
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 29, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20200305001519A
- Case key
- 101066
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper decision to continue an instrument approach to landing following a loss of visual reference with the runway, which resulted in the airplane touching down left of the runway in snow and flipping over.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, upon reaching the decision altitude on a GPS instrument approach, he saw the runway end identifier lights and continued the approach. Shortly after, the lights disappeared and then reappeared. He continued the approach and landing thinking the airplane was lined up with the runway by using the runway edge lights for reference. Upon touching down about 225 ft left of the runway, the airplane dug into snow and flipped over, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings and tail. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that upon reaching the decision altitude on a GPS instrument approach, he saw the runway end identifier lights and continued the approach. Shortly thereafter the lights disappeared and then reappeared. He continued the approach and landing thinking he was lined up with the runway by using the runway edge lights for reference. Upon touching down, the airplane dug into the snow and flipped over resulting in substantial damage to the wings and tail. The airplane landed about 225ft left of the runway. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N706FX
- Reported as
- Cessna 208 (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 208B0426
- Built
- 1995
- Airframe hours
- 11,458
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney PT6A SER, 675 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- CSA Air, Inc
- Registered owner
- Federal Express Corporation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 21, 2020 · 64 hours before
- Departed
- MKE · Milwaukee, WI
- Destination
- RHI · Rhinelander, WI
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- RHI · Rhinelander-Oneida County, runway 27, 6,799 × 150 ft, concrete
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Data recorder, ADS-B, Video recording device, Stall warning system, Onboard weather
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 30, 2020
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 7,245 total · 3,684 in this make and model · 6,109 as pilot in command · 27 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 0.75 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 400 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 34 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.69 inHg
- Observed at
- KRHI
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.