Searle Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ogallala, Nebraska 69153
Tuesady, March 12, 1991 7:49 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT PERFORMED AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH TO RUNWAY 26 AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT DURING A HEAVY SNOWSTORM WITH THE WIND FROM 320 DEG AT 40 GUSTING 60 KTS. AFTER CONSIDERING HIS ALTITUDE ABOVE THE RUNWAY AND THE WINDS, THE PILOT ELECTED TO CIRCLE AND LAND ON RUNWAY 31. HE STATED THAT AS HE BEGAN HIS LEFT TURN, HE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. HE REPORTED THAT IN SPITE OF HIS ATTEMPTS TO REGAIN CONTROL, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS ICING UP QUICKLY DURING THE APPROACH. THERE WAS NO CLAIM OR EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. STRONG, GUSTY SURFACE WINDS HAD BEEN PREDICTED FOR THE AREA, AND THE PILOT HAD OBTAINED SEVERAL PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFINGS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT AND THE LACK OF SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED TO MANEUVER (CIRCLE TO LAND) IN UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITIONS WITH STRUCTURAL ICE ON THE AIRCRAFT. THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND STRUCTURAL (WING) ICE WERE RELATED FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/12/1991
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 749
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City OGALLALA
Event State NEBRASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 69153
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport SEARLE FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OGA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 3229
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 0
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 40
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 60
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 295
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43390
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6687U
NTSB Number CHI91LA106
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model A36
Aircraft Series Identifier A36
Aircraft Serial Number E1666
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 21 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GROWTH MANAGEMENT CORP.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2546 S. 48TH
Operator City LINCOLN
Operator State NE
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 68506
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LNK
Departure City LINCOLN
Departure State NE
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
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 Feb 26 2001 8:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 3698
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --