# NTSB CHI90FA056: Cessna 340, N69556, Merrill, WI, December 28, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: December 28, 1989, 15:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place: Merrill, WI
- Coordinates: 45.179256, -89.699676 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.1793&lon=-89.6997&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 5 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 30, 1992
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 14520
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI90FA056
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/14520/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI90FA056

## Probable cause

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALIGNMENT WITH THE RUNWAY DURING HIS LANDING ROLL AND AN INFLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH ICING CONDITIONS.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr)
  - weather condition - icing conditions (cause)
- On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll
  - terrain condition - snowbank
  - proper alignment - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A SNOWBANK DURING AN ATTEMPTED LANDING. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE ENCOUNTERED FREEZING RAIN AFTER BREAKING OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET AGL DURING HIS INSTRUMENT APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT. HE STATED THAT ICE ACCUMULATED ON THE WINDSHIELD FASTER THAN THE DEICERS COULD REMOVE IT AND HE WAS FORCED TO MAKE HIS APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY WITH NO FORWARD VISIBILITY. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN TO THE LEFT OF CENTERLINE ON THE 75 FOOT WIDE RUNWAY AND THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED LEFT UNTIL THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLIDED WITH A SNOWBANK ON THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR AND THE NOSE LANDING GEAR THEN FAILED AND THE AIRPLANE SLID TO A STOP.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N69556](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N69556-1991-12-02), registration cancelled 1991-12-02, S/N 3400503 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 340
- Registry model: [Cessna 340](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-340) (registry code 2076404) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 340-503
- Engines: CONTINENTAL TSIO-520-NB 325 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Business, Part 91
- Registered owner: Semling-Menke Co. Inc.
- Departed: STP, ST PAUL, MN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: RRL, Merrill Muni, runway 7, 4,000 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 36; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; flight hours: 5,250 total, 1,900 in this make and model, 5,175 as pilot in command, 150 in the last 90 days, 50 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Temperature: -0 °F, dew point -0 °F

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19891228054349A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19891228054349A), Dec 28, 1989: Cessna 340CESSNA, Merrill, WI, Substantial damage. Freezing rain,ice,on airframe and windshield. Landed hard and veered into a snowbank.

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.

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