Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary CHI88FA087

ONAMIA, MN, USA

Aircraft #1

N2766T

BEECH 35-C33A

Analysis

THE ACFT WAS EN ROUTE ON A BUSINESS FLT WHEN A GROUND WITNESS OBSERVED IT FLYING 'IN AND OUT OF CLOUDS IN SNOW SHOWERS' SHORTLY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. LOCAL RESIDENTS HEARD THE ENG AS THE ACFT PASSED LOW OVERHEAD, THEN SAW THE ACFT JUST BEFORE IT CRASHED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN, LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE. WITNESSES RPRTD THAT LARGE WET SNOW FLAKES WERE FALLING & THE VISIBILITY WAS ABOUT 1-1/2 MI IN SNOW AND FOG. THE PLT HAD GOTTEN A WEATHER BRIEFING; THE AREA FORECAST INCLUDED FLT PRECAUTIONS FOR TURBULENCE & ICING CONDITIONS ALONG THE ROUTE. THE PRIVATE PLT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED; HE HAD LOGGED 124 HRS OF FLT TIME, OF WHICH 4.2 HRS WERE LOGGED AS INSTRUMENT TIME. HE HAD LOGGED ONLY 2.2 HRS IN COMPLEX ACFT, WHICH INCLUDED THE CHECK-OUT IN THIS ACFT. THE 2ND OCCUPANT IN THE ACFT WAS ALSO A PLT.

Probable Cause and Findings

PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT IN CONTINUING VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS, AND HIS SUBSEQUENT DISORIENTATION AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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