CHI97LA040

NTSB accident investigation · Beech B55 · Park Rapids, MN · December 6, 1996

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
December 6, 1996, 07:00 local (13:00 UTC)
Place
Park Rapids, MN
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N17732Beech B55
Weather
Instrument (IMC) · Dawn
Status
Completed · report August 25, 1997
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19961206037509A
Case key
10498

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

the pilot's high flare. Factors were the icing weather condition and the airframe ice.

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.

Loss of control - in flightLanding - aborted
Weather condition - icing conditionsFactor
Wing - iceFactor
Stabilizer - iceFactor
Flare - misjudgedPilot in command(cfi)Cause
Stall - inadvertentPilot in command(cfi)
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled

Analysis

In her written statement, the pilot reported that there was 'slight trace ice' in the clouds. She flew a localizer approach. On short final, the airspeed was 'slightly (5knots) below blue line.' She 'felt buffet, yaw, flutter... added power.' The airplane 'yawed to the right with the addition of power.' She initiated a go around. The airplane began to 'buck and yaw uncontrollably.' She lowered the pitch attitude, raised the landing gear, and 'attempted flaps up.' The airplane settled on the south side of the runway in a snow bank. The pilot rated passenger stated that the pilot 'flared high' and 'over corrected.' He reported that the airplane 'rocked violently' up to 60 degrees of bank. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction. Photographs of the airplane, taken after the accident, exhibit a ridge of approximately 1/8 inch of rime ice on the upper portion of the wing and stabilizer leading edges.

Factual narrative

On December 6, 1996, at 0700 central standard time, a Beech B55, N17732, operated by Midwest Surgical Services, Inc., was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain during an aborted landing in Park Rapids, Minnesota. The commercial pilot and one passenger reported no injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91, business flight originated in St. Cloud, Minnesota, at 0615, with a planned destination of Park Rapids, Minnesota. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan was filed.

In her written statement, the pilot reported that there was "slight trace ice" in the clouds. She flew a localizer approach. On short final, the airspeed was "slightly (5knots) below blue line." She "felt buffet, yaw, flutter... added power." The airplane "yawed to the right with the addition of power." She initiated a go around. The airplane began to "buck and yaw uncontrollably." She lowered the pitch attitude, raised the landing gear, and "attempted flaps up." The airplane settled on the south side of the runway in a snow bank.

The pilot rated passenger wrote "we picked up light ice on the descent. We made the decision to apply only approach flaps on descent due to ice on the tail. We crossed over the threshold of runway 31 a little high. As we approached to land, [the pilot] flared the airplane and we felt the buffeting of a stall. During a telephone interview conducted on March 18, 1997, he reported that the pilot "flared high" and "over corrected." He reported that the airplane "rocked violently" up to 60 degrees of bank.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector who examined the airplane reported no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction.

Photographs of the airplane, taken after the accident, exhibit a ridge of approximately 1/8 inch of rime ice on the upper portion of the wing and stabilizer leading edges. The left side propeller blades were curled aft from midspan outboard. The right side propeller blades were curled aft at the tips and bent forward from midspan outboard.

Aircraft

Registration
N17732
Reported as
Beech B55
Category
Airplane
Serial number
TE-1102
Airframe hours
3,929
Engine
Continental IO-520, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Business · Part 91
Registered owner
Midwest Surgical Services, Inc
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · December 31, 1995 · 192 hours before
Departed
STC · St. Cloud, MN
Destination
PKD
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
PKD · Park Rapids, runway 31, 5,498 × 100 ft, concrete

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
27
Certificates
Commercial, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
1,730 total · 285 in this make and model · 530 as pilot in command · 148 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Instrument (IMC) · Dawn
Wind
190° at 8 knots
Visibility
3 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
400 ft overcast
Temperature
23 °F, dew point 21 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
PKD

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.