Cincinnati Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Covington, Kentucky 41018
Thursday, March 9, 1989 6:17 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

N3281T WAS ATTEMPTING AN INSTRUMENT DEPARTURE WHEN IT CRASHED LEFT OF THE EXTENDED CENTER LINE OF RUNWAY 18. THE FLIGHT WAS OBSERVED CLIMBING THROUGH 200 FEET PRIOR TO DESCENDING TO THE GROUND. PRIOR TO TAXIING TO TAKEOFF THE PILOT FAILED TO DEICE THE AIRFRAME. AIRPLANES ON THE PARKING RAMP AROUND N3281T DEICED PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. WEATHER REPORTS INDICATED THAT TEMP/DEW POINT WERE 26 AND 23 DEGREES RESPECTIVELY. THE SURFACE OBSERVATION ALSO REPORTED FOG AS A RESTRICTION TO VISIBILITY. ACCORDING TO THE AIRPLANE'S HANDBOOK THAT TESTS PROVE THAT A COAT OF FROST ON A WING CAN DESTROY ITS LIFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF WITH COATING OF FROST ON THE AIRFRAME WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF LIFT DURING CLIMBOUT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/9/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 617
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City COVINGTON
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 41018
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CINCINNATI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CVG
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 891
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 617 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CVG
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 970
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 9 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 655
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39133
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:31PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3281T
NTSB Number ATL89FA098
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model BE-18
Aircraft Series Identifier BE-18
Aircraft Serial Number BA-611
Certified Max Gross Weight 9300
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 Feb 15 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 13262
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AJAX AIRCRAFT LEASING
Aircraft Owner Street Address 229 S STATE
Aircraft Owner City DOVER
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19901
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AJAX LEASING INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2064 D STREET
Operator City BELLEVILLE
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 48111
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 CVG
Departure City COVINGTON
Departure State KY
Departure Country
Departure Time 618
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DTW
Destination City DETROIT METRO
Destination State MI
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 18
Runway Length 9501
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --