Spokane Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Spokane, Washington 99219
Friday, February 17, 1989 7:13 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE LANDING AT DAWN WITH SNOW & ICE ON THE RWY, THE ACFT DRIFTED LEFT INTO RUNWAY LIGHTS, WHICH WERE BURIED IN A SNOW BERM FROM PREVIOUS PLOWING. THE PLT SAID THERE WAS 16 INCHES OF SNOW ON THE GND & UP TO 2 INCHES ON THE RWY. HE SAID HE THOUGHT HE HAD LANDED ON THE CENTERLINE, LOST CONTROL IN A SNOWDRIFT, THEN THE ACFT DRIFTED INTO SNOW ADJACENT TO THE RWY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND RUNWAY ALIGNMENT DURING THE LANDING ROLL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: LIGHT CONDITIONS AT DAWN, SNOW AND ICE ON THE RUNWAY, AND THE RUNWAY LIGHTS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/17/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 713
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SPOKANE
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99219
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 SPOKANE INT'L
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GEG
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 654 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 900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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) 103
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 30 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38296
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 N54US
NTSB Number SEA89LA061
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 MITSUBISHI
Aircraft Model MU-2B-35J
Aircraft Series Identifier MU-2B-35J
Aircraft Serial Number 590
Certified Max Gross Weight 10800
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 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Jan 12 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 4076
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHARDSON AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 9014
Aircraft Owner City YAKIMA
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98909
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
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 Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BFI
Departure City SEATTLE
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 550
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
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 3
Runway Length 9000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --