- Date
- November 23, 1998, 16:15 local (22:15 UTC)
- Place
- Crystal, MN
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N5638SBeech BE-55
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 16, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19981123031519A
- Case key
- 45346
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 failed to maintain the proper glidepath. A factor was the sunglare.
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 that, 'Shortly after turning final I became completely blinded by the low setting sun. I unknowingly lost altitude that put me below the tree tops. This resulted in complete loss of control. The airplane contacted several trees and crashed coming to rest in a drainage ditch... .'
Factual narrative
On November 23, 1998, at 1615 central standard time, a Beech Baron BE-55, N5638S, was substantially damaged during landing. The airplane was on a VFR approach to runway 24R at Crystal Airport, Crystal, Minnesota, when it hit the top of trees and impacted the ground on final approach. The commercial pilot was seriously injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight departed Crystal Airport for a local flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported that, "Shortly after turning final I became completely blinded by the low setting sun. I unknowingly lost altitude that put me below the tree tops. This resulted in complete loss of control. The airplane contacted several trees and crashed coming to rest in a drainage ditch... ."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5638S
- Reported as
- Beech BE-55
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- TE142
- Airframe hours
- 1,765
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-C, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John L. Kooiker
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 14, 1998 · 0 hours before
- Departed
- MIC
- Airport
- MIC · Crystal Airport, runway 24, 2,499 × 100 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
- 80
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,900 total · 1,500 in this make and model · 5 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MIC
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 19, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.