Bemidji County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bemidji, Minnesota 56601
Thursday, December 28, 1995 17:48 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On short final, the crew noticed that the airplane had restricted up-elevator movement. They initiated a go-around and used power to control pitch for landing. Excessive descent rate and airspeed resulted in a hard landing. Postincident examination revealed a loose upper elevator stop bolt that had contacted a stringer, preventing further movement of the control column. Sixteen flights earlier, maintenance records show extensive work done to the elevator quadrant. During this work, hardware was 'loosely installed' on the quadrant so as to not be lost. The position of a nut run down on the bolt is close to the appearance of a nut properly torqued.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

inadequate maintenance installation and inspection of the elevator flight control system which led to restricted flight control elevator movement due to a loose bolt.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 12/28/1995
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1748
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City BEMIDJI
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56601
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BEMIDJI COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BJI
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1390
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1734 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BJI
Elevation of weather observation facility 1390
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 1202
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 16
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5039
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 29 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N159MC
NTSB Number CHI96IA066
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Fairchild
Aircraft Model SA227-AC
Aircraft Series Identifier SA227-AC
Aircraft Serial Number AC-728B
Certified Max Gross Weight 12000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 21
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Dec 9 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 104
Airframe Hours 10953
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CCD AIR TWENTY ONE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7501 26TH AVE SOUTH
Aircraft Owner City MINNEAPOLIS
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55450
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MESABA AIRLINES, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7501 26TH AVE SOUTH
Operator City MINNEAPOLIS
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 55450
Operator Code MALA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MSP
Departure City MINNEAPOLIS
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1645
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 13
Runway Length 6598
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --