- Date
- February 6, 2017, 16:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Poplar Bluff, MO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N246CABeech F90
- Defining event
- Approach-IFR final approach: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 7, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170206016179I
- Case key
- 94752
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 descent below the minimum descent altitude during a nonprecision approach, which resulted in a tree strike.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, during an instrument meteorological conditions flight, he chose to accomplish an area navigation approach. He reported that he descended to his minimum descent altitude of 800 ft, decreased the airspeed, and began looking outside the cockpit for the runway. He recalled that the visibility was 3/4 mile, and that, about 20 seconds later, the airplane struck tree tops. The pilot immediately executed the missed approach procedure and made an approach to an alternate airport. The right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported the during an instrument meteorological condition flight, he elected to accomplish an area navigation approach. He reported that he descended to his minimum descent altitude of 800 feet, decreased the airspeed and began looking outside the cockpit for the runway. He recalled that the visibility was ¾ of a mile and about 20 seconds later the airplane struck tree tops. The pilot immediately executed the missed approach procedure and made an approach at an alternate airport. The right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N246CA
- Reported as
- Beech F90 (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- LA-27
- Built
- 1980
- Airframe hours
- 8,639.8
- Engines
- Pratt & Whitney PT6A/60A, 750 horsepower, turbo propPratt & Whitney PT6A/60A, 750 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · July 21, 2016
- Departed
- DTN · Shreveport, LA
- Destination
- POF · Poplar Bluff, MO
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- POF · Poplar Bluff Muni, runway 18, 5,008 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Auto-pilot
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
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight engineer, Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 8, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 26,500 total · 3,424 in this make and model · 128 in the last 90 days · 47 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,100 ft broken
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.76 inHg
- Observed at
- KPOF
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 17, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.2 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.