- Date
- July 31, 1992, 03:10 local (08:10 UTC)
- Place
- Northwood, ND
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8BLBeech V35B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report August 26, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920731028549A
- Case key
- 15303
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
Spatial disorientation of the pilot in command during initial climb.
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
The accident airplane collided with terrain during initial climb from a private landing strip. The intended destination was the annual eaa fly in at oshkosh, Wisconsin. Night VMC conditions prevailed. An aural witness heard what he described as a 'regular airplane engine.' He stated it started racing and going real fast and then he heard 'little pops.' He saw the sky turn orange. Shortly after that the town fire alarm sounded. The pilot of the accident airplane was a dentist and worked all the previous day. He then flew a four hour flight and returned to the departure airport about 2230. The accident flight occurred about 0310 the following morning. The runway used was 1700 feet long and 45 feet wide. A mature tree line crossed the extended centerline approximately 700 feet south of the runway. The airplane impacted about 360 feet southeast of the departure end of the runway. The flight path was over unlighted farmland and the moon was below the horizon. No mechanical defects were discovered in the airplane or powerplant.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8BL
- Reported as
- Beech V35B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D-9736
- Airframe hours
- 2,983
- Engine
- Continental IO-550B(1), 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Miller Leasing Inc.
- Registered owner
- Miller Leasing Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 20, 1992
- Departed
- NONE
- Destination
- OSH · Oshkosh, WI
- Airport
- NONE · Miller, runway 18, 1,700 × 45 ft, grass/turf
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
- 48
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 4,162 total · 11 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 220° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RDR, 17 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.