Pilot Debrief

BEECH A36 near Wausau, WI — 2012-10-17

Final reportCEN13LA016
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Date
2012-10-17
Location
Wausau, WI, USA
Airport
AUW
Aircraft
BEECH A36
Registration
N121VP
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The pilot's decision to attempt an instrument approach in meteorological conditions below approach minimums and his failure to properly execute a missed approach.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during the instrument landing system approach, the destination airport's weather system was reporting conditions below approach minimums. However, he chose to attempt the approach and, if necessary, execute a missed approach and hold until conditions improved. He stated that he usually set the decision altitude and lowered the landing gear at the final approach fix and that he thought that he had accomplished this on the accident approach; however, he stated that he did not remember hearing the decision altitude aural warning. He added that, when he was preparing the airplane for a missed approach, he saw the hills and trees, which the airplane then impacted. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
VFR into IMC
First missed decision gate
Pilot should have aborted approach due to below minimum weather conditions.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 1 docket document
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents1

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