Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rochester, Minnesota 55938
Sunday, December 8, 1991 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID WHILE FLYING A COUPLER AUTOPILOT INSTRUMENT APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT AT ROCHESTER, TURBULENCE WAS ENCOUNTERED SHORTLY AFTER PASSING THE MIDDLE MARKER. SUBSTANTIAL DEFLECTIONS OF THE OBS/GS INDICATOR WERE OBSERVED. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN ABOUT 4000 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY. A CROSSWIND OF 17 KNOTS, 50 DEGREES TO THE RUNWAY HEADING WAS PRESENT DURING THE APPROACH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER USE OF AUTOPILOT DURING APPROACH WHICH RESULTED IN PROPER ALIGNMENT NOT MAINTAINED BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE TURBULENCE AND CROSSWINDS, OVER CONFIDENCE IN AIRCRAFT'S CAPABILITY AND OVERCONFIDENCE IN PERSONAL ABILITY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/8/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 41
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City ROCHESTER
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55938
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 210
Airport Elevation 1317
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 56 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID RST
Elevation of weather observation facility 1317
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 100
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 17
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1866
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45805
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:53AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8411A
NTSB Number CHI92LA043
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-181
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8190274
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
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 FILMORE COUNTY FLYING CLUB
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RR 2
Operator City PRESTON
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 55965
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code D42
Departure City SPRINGFIELD
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 2330
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --