Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Malmo, Minnesota 56401
Sunday, January 15, 1989 15:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT INADVERTENTLY ENTERED INSTRUMENT FLIGHT CONDITIONS AND EXPERIENCED WHITEOUT CONDITIONS. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT & IT CRASHED ON A FROZEN LAKE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), WHICH RESULTED IN HIS LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL, DUE SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. A RELATED FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/15/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City MALMO
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56401
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 1
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1500 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID BRD
Elevation of weather observation facility 1226
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 910
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 290
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 15 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38832
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:25PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4096H
NTSB Number MKC89LA053
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20
Aircraft Series Identifier M20
Aircraft Serial Number 2500415
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 23 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 1252
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STEPHEN D JENSEN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7320 CHICAGO AVE SOUTH
Aircraft Owner City RICHFIELD
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55423
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JENSEN, STEPHEN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7320 CHICAGO AVENUE SOUTH
Operator City RICHFIELD
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 55423
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FCM
Departure City EDEN PRAIRIE
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BRD
Destination City BRAINARD
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --