Buffalo Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Buffalo, Minnesota 55313
Thursday, November 17, 1983 19:20 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING AN APPROACH ON A DARK NIGHT. THE WEATHER WAS VMC AND THE PLT CANCELED HIS IFR FLT PLAN 15 MILES EAST OF THE ARPT. THE PLT APPROACHED THE ARPT IN A NORMAL VFR PATTERN BUT ON FINAL APPROACH HE GOT AN ILLUSION FROM THE LIGHTS THAT HE WAS CLOSER THAN HE ACTUALLY WAS ACCORDING TO HIS STATEMENT. BECAUSE OF THE SHORT RWY (2600 FT) HE MADE A LOW APPROACH AND CONTACTED TREES AT ABOUT 150 FT AGL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/17/1983
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1920
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City BUFFALO
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55313
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BUFFALO MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 8Y2
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 968
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1853 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 125
Weather Observation Facility ID MSP
Elevation of weather observation facility 841
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 32
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 2000
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2231
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22572
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9644B
NTSB Number CHI84LA045
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M-20K
Aircraft Series Identifier M-20K
Aircraft Serial Number 25-0527
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TRI-STATE DRILLING & EQPT CO.
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 252
Aircraft Owner City HAMEL
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55340
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 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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BWG
Departure City BOWLING GREEN
Departure State KY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --