- Date
- November 21, 1990, 18:22 local (Nov 22, 1990, 02:22 UTC)
- Place
- Spokane, WA
- Injuries
- 6 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6CHBeech 65-88
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report September 28, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19901121051149A
- Case key
- 41366
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 his touchdown due to disorientation caused by his lack of forward visibility created by an accumulation of ice on the windshield.
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 of the Beech 65-88 returned to his departure airport due to reports of severe turbulence along his projected route. He stated that the windshield had approximately 1/2 to 3/4' of ice on it, accumulated during climbout from the airport. He stated that he became disoriented while trying to land while looking out of the side window. Both engines were displaced downwards by the ensuing hard landing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6CH
- Reported as
- Beech 65-88
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- LP 43
- Engine
- Lycoming IGSO-540-A1D, 380 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Darrell C Nelson, doing business as Darrell C Nelson
- Registered owner
- Unknown
- Departed
- GEG
- Destination
- BFI · Seattle, WA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- GEG · Spokane Int'L, runway 21, 9,000 × 150 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
- 49
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 2,839 total · 68 in this make and model · 2,467 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 180° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 36 °F
- Observed at
- GEG
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.