Spokane Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Spokane, Washington 99219
Saturday, December 24, 1988 6:20 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACFT WAS LEFT OVERNIGHT IN HEAVY PRECIP. PLT FAILED TO ENSURE FUSELAGE DRAINS WERE CLEAR AND WATER ACCUMULATION DRAINED BEFORE DEPARTING INTO BELOW FREEZING FLIGHT TEMPS. ON LNDG AT DEST, PLT UNABLE TO ACHIEVE FLARE, RESULTING IN HARD LNDG. INVESTIGATION REVEALED ELEVATOR CABLES AND PULLEYS FROZEN IN SOLID BLOCK OF ICE AT FUSELAGE LOW POINT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/24/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 620
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SPOKANE
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99219
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SPOKANE INT'L
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GAG
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 2372
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 628 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID GEG
Elevation of weather observation facility 2372
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Dawn
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) -4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1467
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 3 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37592
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:22PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4954W
NTSB Number SEA89LA031
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
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 99A
Aircraft Series Identifier 99A
Aircraft Serial Number U-82
Certified Max Gross Weight 10400
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 1
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Dec 15 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 19
Airframe Hours 22113
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name METHOW AVIATION INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address HANGAR 201 PAINE FIELD
Aircraft Owner City EVERETT
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98204
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name METHOW AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address HANGAR 201, PAINE FIELD
Operator City EVERETT
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98204
Operator Code MER
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 Mail
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PDX
Departure City PORTLAND
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 440
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code GEG
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 21
Runway Length 9000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --