South St Paul Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Inver Grove Hgt, Minnesota 55075
Thursday, March 1, 1990 13:50 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A TEMPORARY FUEL SYS TO FERRY IT TO SOUTH AFRICA. ALSO, IT WAS APPROVED FOR SPECIAL FLT OPNS & A MAXIMUM GROSS WT LIMITATION OF 4235 LBS. ITS ACTUAL WEIGHT FOR TAKEOFF WAS CALCULATED TO BE 3956 LBS. THE PLT TOOK OFF ON RWY 16 FOR THE INITIAL FLT WITH THE WIND FROM ABOUT 240 DEG AT 17 KTS. SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED FLYING JUST ABOVE THE TREES IN A NOSE HI ATTITUDE. THE PLT TURNED THE ACFT ABOUT 90 DEG TO THE LEFT TOWARD A RIVER (DOWN SLOPE). HE THEN TURNED IT FURTHER LEFT & ALIGNED ITS FLT PATH WITH THE RIVER. HOWEVER, THE ACFT HIT A POLE ON A BOAT DOCK & CRASHED IN THE RIVER. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION. ONE WITNESS, WHO SAW THE ACFT AFTER TAKEOFF, SAID IT WAS MUSHING AS THE LNDG GEAR WAS BEING RETRACTED, THEN THE PLT 'MADE A STEEP BANK TO THE LEFT & WENT BELOW THE TREES.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PREMATURE LIFT-OFF BY THE PILOT, WHILE TAKING OFF WITH A HEAVY GROSS WEIGHT IN UNFAVORABLE WINDS, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN/MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/1/1990
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1350
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City INVER GROVE HGT
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55075
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SOUTH ST PAUL MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID D97
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 90
Airport Elevation 819
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID MSP
Elevation of weather observation facility 841
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2159
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 1 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43958
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3077G
NTSB Number MKC90FA057
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model B36TC
Aircraft Series Identifier B36TC
Aircraft Serial Number EA-383
Certified Max Gross Weight 4235
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 79
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AVEX, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 106 E. SANTA MARIA ST.
Aircraft Owner City SANTA PAULA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93060
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
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code D97
Departure City SOUTH ST PAUL
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 150
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City SOUTH AFRICA
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 16
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --