Mason City Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mason City, Iowa 50401
Friday, February 27, 1998 17:35 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said the airplane encountered freezing rain that was changing to snow as the airplane broke out of the clouds at 600-feet above ground level during an ILS approach. He said the airplane had about 3/8 to 1/2-inch of ice on its airframe. According to the pilot, the airplane touched down on its left main landing gear, as he landed at dusk with a 10-knot left quartering tailwind. He said the left main gear tire rolled off its wheel as the nose gear and right main landing gear contacted the runway. Both the right main and nose landing gear collapsed. The pilot said he landed in a slight crab at touchdown on the ice-covered runway. The pilot said the windshield was ice covered with a clear area of about 8-inches by 11-inches through which he could see.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the accumulation of airframe ice during flight, and failure of the pilot to attain a proper flare for landing. Factors relating to the accident were: the adverse weather (icing) condition; and the pilot's limited forward visibility, due to ice on the windshield and the light condition at dusk.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/27/1998
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1735
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City MASON CITY
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 50401
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MASON CITY MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MCW
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 1213
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1750 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID MCW
Elevation of weather observation facility 1213
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 1200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 27 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1902
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 10:46AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N108RS
NTSB Number CHI98LA098
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 402B
Aircraft Series Identifier 402B
Aircraft Serial Number 0440
Certified Max Gross Weight 6300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 26 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 73
Airframe Hours 4984
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DWYER AIRCRAFT SALES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 239
Aircraft Owner City MASON CITY
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 50401
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code DFSA
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DNS
Departure City DENISON
Departure State IA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code MCW
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35
Runway Length 6501
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --