Purdue University Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

West Lafayette, Indiana 47907
Tuesady, April 3, 1990 5:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE TRANSPORT CATEGORY AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNING TO THE HOME BASE EMPTY (BALLAST ONLY). WEATHER CONDITIONS EXISTED WHICH WERE CONDUCIVE TO AIRFRAME ICING. ON FINAL APPROACH, WHEN LANDING FLAPS WERE SELECTED, THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED NOSE DOWN ACCOMPANIED BY BUFFETING OF THE AIRFRAME. THE CAPTAIN TOOK CONTROL (FIRST OFFICER HAD BEEN FLYING) AND ADDED FULL POWER. THE FIRST OFFICER SELECTED 15 DEGREES FLAP. THE AIRCRAFT RECOVERED, BUT CONTINUED TO EXHIBIT BUFFETING. THE AIRCRAFT DIVERTED TO AN AIRPORT WITH A LONGER RUNWAY AND A SUCCESSFUL LANDING WAS ACCOMPLISHED. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED SUBSTANTIAL ICE ACCUMULATION OUTSIDE THE BOOTED AREA ON THE HORIZONTAL TAIL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN UNDETECTED ACCUMULATION OF ICE ON THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. RELATING FACTORS WERE THE MANUFACTURER'S LACK OF INFORMATION AND AIRCRAFT MANUALS RELATIVE TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF, AND APPROPRIATE PROCEDURES TO PREVENT THE LOSS OF CONTROL.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 4/3/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 545
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City WEST LAFAYETTE
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 47907
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PURDUE UNIVERSITY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LAF
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 606
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 552 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LAF
Elevation of weather observation facility 606
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1700
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5018
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 3 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42805
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:53PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N112MP
NTSB Number CHI90IA106
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name NIHON
Aircraft Model YS-11A-600F
Aircraft Series Identifier YS-11A-600
Aircraft Serial Number 2105
Certified Max Gross Weight 55110
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 3
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MID PACIFIC AIR CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 2835
Aircraft Owner City WEST LAFAYETTE
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 47906
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 MCPA
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code YIP
Departure City DETROIT
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 439
Departure Time Zone EST
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 10
Runway Length 6600
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --