Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Onamia, Minnesota 56359
Wednesday, March 30, 1988 19:50 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS EN ROUTE ON A BUSINESS FLT WHEN A GROUND WITNESS OBSERVED IT FLYING 'IN AND OUT OF CLOUDS IN SNOW SHOWERS' SHORTLY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. LOCAL RESIDENTS HEARD THE ENG AS THE ACFT PASSED LOW OVERHEAD, THEN SAW THE ACFT JUST BEFORE IT CRASHED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN, LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE. WITNESSES RPRTD THAT LARGE WET SNOW FLAKES WERE FALLING & THE VISIBILITY WAS ABOUT 1-1/2 MI IN SNOW AND FOG. THE PLT HAD GOTTEN A WEATHER BRIEFING; THE AREA FORECAST INCLUDED FLT PRECAUTIONS FOR TURBULENCE & ICING CONDITIONS ALONG THE ROUTE. THE PRIVATE PLT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED; HE HAD LOGGED 124 HRS OF FLT TIME, OF WHICH 4.2 HRS WERE LOGGED AS INSTRUMENT TIME. HE HAD LOGGED ONLY 2.2 HRS IN COMPLEX ACFT, WHICH INCLUDED THE CHECK-OUT IN THIS ACFT. THE 2ND OCCUPANT IN THE ACFT WAS ALSO A PLT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT IN CONTINUING VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS, AND HIS SUBSEQUENT DISORIENTATION AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/30/1988
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1950
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City ONAMIA
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56359
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 3
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 Dusk
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) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2252
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 31 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 615
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39998
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2766T
NTSB Number CHI88FA087
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 35-C33A
Aircraft Series Identifier 35-C33A
Aircraft Serial Number CE-157
Certified Max Gross Weight 3300
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 26 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 128
Airframe Hours 3231
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BEMIDJI AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 624
Aircraft Owner City BEMIDJI
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 56601
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BEMIDJI AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 624
Operator City BEMIDJI
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 56601
Operator Code BEMA
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Business
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BJI
Departure City BEMIDJI
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MSP
Destination City MINNEAPOLIS
Destination State MN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --