- Date
- November 14, 1989, 13:25 local (19:25 UTC)
- Place
- Shell Lake, WI
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N1607WBeech A36
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19891114051059A
- Case key
- 14515
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-in-command's failure to perform a missed approach, his descending below the minimum descent altitude, and his failure to maintain proper altitude to avoid impact with the terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot-in-command's lack of total instrument time, his lack of recent total experience, and his lack of recent experience in this type of operation.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
An NDB approach was attempted to an uncontrolled airport during moderate snow conditions. Visibility was reported restricted in snow showers by area residents at the time of the approach. The aircraft descended into a lake adjacent to the airport and was destroyed. The pilot had received a weather briefing which included the possibility of snow showers. There is no indication that the pilot attempted to perform a missed approach. Witness reports indicate that the aircraft had descended below the minimum descent altitude prior to impact. The pilot had limited total instrument experience, a lack of recent total expereince and a lack of recent experience in this type of operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1607W
- Reported as
- Beech A36
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- E-341
- Airframe hours
- 2,204
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-BA, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Henry Horecki
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 31, 1989 · 27 hours before
- Departed
- FCM · Minneapolis, MN
- Destination
- SSQ · Shell Lake, WI
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- SSQ · Shell Lake Muni, runway 31, 3,100 × 50 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 58
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 469 total · 302 in this make and model · 389 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 10 knots
- Temperature
- 36 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RIE, 20 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.