- Date
- January 29, 1995, 08:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Pembina, ND
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N68DCBeech V35A-TC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 23, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950129004979A
- Case key
- 9828
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 misjudgement of the actual altitude of the airplane. Factors were the visual illusion caused by the snow covered runway environment and the whiteout weather condition.
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 pilot reported there was light blowing snow at the time of the accident. The airport environment and runway were covered with one to two inches of new snow. He cancelled IFR about 15 miles from his destination and continued under VFR. He said he intended to make a low pass to observe the condition of the snow covered runway. He lowered the landing gear and full flaps, turned on to the runway heading, and observed the altimeter indication at 820 feet. Before he realized it, the airplane impacted the terrain short of runway 33.
Factual narrative
On January 29, 1995, at 0830 central standard time, a Beech V35A- TC airplane, N68DC, operated by Milwel Inc. of Montevideo, Minnesota, sustained substantial damage when it was landed short of the runway in Pembina, North Dakota. The private pilot reported no injuries. The personal flight originated at 0645 in Montevideo, Minnesota, and was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported he cancelled IFR about 15 miles from his destination and continued under VFR. He said he intended to make a low pass to observe the condition of the snow covered runway. He lowered the landing gear and full flaps, turned on to the runway heading, and observed the altimeter indication at 820 feet. Before he realized it, the airplane impacted the terrain short of runway 33.
The airplane struck the ground in one and one half to two feet of hard packed snow. The nose and left main landing gear collapsed as the airplane rotated to a heading of about 070 degrees and came to rest, sustaining substantial damage to the right wing.
The pilot reported there was light blowing snow at the time of the accident. The airport environment and runway were covered with one to two inches of new snow.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N68DC
- Reported as
- Beech V35A-TC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D9883
- Airframe hours
- 1,641
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-BA, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Milwel Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 7, 1994 · 40 hours before
- Departed
- MVE · Montevideo, MN
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- PMB · Pembina Municipal Airport, runway 33, 3,800 × 75 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
- 60
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,121 total · 3,621 in this make and model · 4,121 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,900 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 9 °F, dew point 7 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- O3Y, 15 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.