- Date
- December 10, 1991, 05:50 local (10:50 UTC)
- Place
- Rensselaer, IN
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 3 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N61054Beech A36
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 15363
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 aircraft handling which resulted in an inadvertent stall and descent. Factors related to the accident were the obscuration & icing conditions.
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 airplane took off on runway 36 approximately 0545 hours. About 3/4 mile north and slightly east of the extended runway centerline, the airplane impacted the ground on an easterly heading. The right wing separated from the fuselage and ground fire ensued. The aircraft continued through trees, across a set of railroad tracks, before it came to a rest in an open field pointing in a westerly direction. State police described the weather at the time of the accident as 'foggy, hazy...with no ceiling. Visibility in immediate area was given as 1/8 to 1/4 mile. Ice and frost was readily forming on patrol car antennae...' The police report indicates 'the airplane surface was covered with frost...(which) was primarily gone...before...photography of the scene.' Temperature and dew point were reported as 26 degrees. The pilot had no recollection of the accident. There ws no evidence of pre-impact mechanical anomaly.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N61054
- Reported as
- Beech A36
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- E-1938
- Airframe hours
- 1,194
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-BB, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Rose Acre Farms
- Registered owner
- Rose Acre Farms
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 11, 1991 · 84 hours before
- Destination
- SER · Seymour, IN
- Airport
- RZL · Jasper County, runway 36, 3,100 × ft
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 600 total · 160 in this make and model · 80 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 290° at 3 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- 200 ft broken
- Temperature
- 27 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LAF, 34 nm away