Pilot Debrief

BEECH A36 near Charlevoix, MI — 2011-06-24

Final reportCEN11FA417
Sign in to save
Date
2011-06-24
Location
Charlevoix, MI, USA
Aircraft
BEECH A36
Registration
N88MN
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
2
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The pilot's inadequate airspeed while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to not execute a missed approach in weather conditions below minimums.

Contributing factors

Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to not execute a missed approach in weather conditions below minimums.

NTSB narrative

Witnesses observed the airplane exiting the low cloud ceiling halfway down the runway during an instrument approach. The cloud ceiling was about 200 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot did not execute the published missed approach procedure. Instead, he maneuvered the airplane in the vicinity of the airport at a low altitude and entered the right downwind leg of the traffic pattern for the runway. Witnesses observed the airplane turn to the right toward the runway, pitch nose up, bank to the left, stall, and enter an uncontrolled descent. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact failure or malfunction. The circling approach weather minimums were a 700-foot agl ceiling and 1 mile visibility. Based on the witness reports and examination of the impact damage, it is likely the pilot inadvertently stalled the airplane at a low altitude during the downwind-to-base turn.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Controlled flight into terrain
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted the approach earlier due to low visibility conditions.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • FDR / data
  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 22 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents22

Related mishaps