Milwaukee Mitchell Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53207
Friday, April 20, 1990 16:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT ENGAGED THE AUTOPILOT APPROACH MODE TO EXECUTE A COUPLED ILS APPROACH WHILE HE WAS HIGH AND FAST WITH A 2000 FOOT PER MINUTE RATE OF DESCENT. THIS WAS OUTSIDE THE PARAMETERS FOR A STABILIZED APPROACH. WHEN THE AUTOPILOT CAPTURED THE GLIDE SLOPE, THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER SHARPLY, FLEW THROUGH THE GLIDE SLOPE, PULLED UP SHARPLY, FLEW THROUGH THE GLIDE SLOPE GOING UP, AND NOSED OVER AGAIN BEFORE THE PILOT COULD DISENGAGE THE AUTOPILOT. PILOT LANDED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT, BUT THE PITCH EXCURSIONS HAD EXCEEDED THE STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE UTILIZATION OF IMPROPER PROCEDURES ON THE PART OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND BY ATTEMPTING TO EXECUTE A COUPLED APPROACH OUTSIDE THE PARAMETERS OF THE AUTOPILOT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/20/1990
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MILWAUKEE
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 53207
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 MILWAUKEE MITCHELL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MKE
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1551 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 190
Weather Observation Facility ID MKE
Elevation of weather observation facility 723
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1000
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) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 3
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1234
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 20 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1945
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42596
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 N179DD
NTSB Number CHI90LA115
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 Beech
Aircraft Model F33A
Aircraft Series Identifier F33A
Aircraft Serial Number CE743
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 275
Airframe Hours 3886
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DELTA DELTA PARTNERSHIP
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2707 SOUTHGATE DR.
Aircraft Owner City FARGO
Aircraft Owner State ND
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 58103
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DELTA DELTA PARTNERSHIP
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2707 SOUTHGATE DR.
Operator City FARGO
Operator State ND
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 58103
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 FAR
Departure City FARGO
Departure State ND
Departure Country
Departure Time 1310
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --