Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Burlington, Vermont 05401
Wednesday, February 15, 1989 17:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CHARTER CAPTIAN EXPERIENCED RESTRICTED MOVEMENT TO THE ELEVATOR DURING CLIMBOUT ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND RETURNED TO LAND AT THE AIRPORT OF ORIGIN. THE PILOT FOUND SNOW AND SLUSH BRUSHED INTO THE OPENINGS FOR THE ELEVATOR HINGE ASSEMBLY AND SUSPECTED THAT THIS TRAPPED MOISTURE FROZE TO THE HINGE CAUSING THE RESTRICTION. THE PILOT SAID THAT THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION REVEALED ONLY WET WING SURFACES, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE INTO THE OPENINGS ON TOP OF THE ELEVATOR.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PREFLIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN A FROZEN ELEVATOR SURFACE.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 2/15/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1715
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BURLINGTON
Event State VERMONT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 05401
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 2
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 400
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) 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 Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 7
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5006
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 17 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38814
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N123D
NTSB Number NYC89IA084
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 200
Aircraft Series Identifier 200
Aircraft Serial Number BB-1219
Certified Max Gross Weight 12500
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 10
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 --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EVANS AIR
Aircraft Owner Street Address WILLOW TREE PLAZA
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EVANS AIR
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 575 SO. WILLOW ST.
Operator City MANCHESTER
Operator State NH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 03103
Operator Code DANA
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 Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BED
Destination City BEDFORD
Destination State MA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 --