Beechcraft V35B N409E

Summary

On 8 October 1990 at about 02:10 local time, a Beechcraft V35B registered N409E, operated by Nelson Manufacturing Co., was involved in an accident near Ottawa, Ohio, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 October 1990 at 02:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Ottawa, Ohio, United States

Nearest airport

Putnam County (OWX)

Coordinates

41.0200, -84.0398

Aircraft

Beechcraft V35B

Registration

N409E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Nelson Manufacturing Co.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Allentown → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

NYC91FA005

4 people died.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO FOLLOW THE PROPER INSTRUMENT PROCEDURE AND MAINTAIN THE MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE (MDA) DURING AN APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT AT NIGHT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING AN IFR ARRIVAL AT NIGHT, THE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR THE VOR RUNWAY 27 APPROACH TO THE PUTNAM COUNTY AIRPORT. THE PUBLISHED MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE (MDA) FOR THE APPROACH WAS 1200 FEET MSL OR 437 FEET AGL. WITNESSES DESCRIBED THE WEATHER AS 'FOGGY' WITH DRIZZLE AND 1 MILE VISIBILITY. DURING THE APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TREES THAT WERE ABOUT 60 FT TALL AND 1 1/2 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT INITIAL IMPACT OCCURRED WITH TREETOPS ON A HEADING OF 315 DEG IN A WINGS ATTITUDE. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE WAS FOUND. A MARK ON THE AIRSPEED GAGE INDICATED IT WAS AT THE 140 KT POSITION DURING IMPACT. BOTH PROPELLER BLADES HAD CHORWISE SCRATCH MARKS AND 'S' BENDING AT THE TIPS. THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN AT THE AIRPORT WAS FLAT AND SPARSLEY POPULATED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BASED AT THE AIRPORT, AND THE PILOT HAD FLOWN IN THE LOCAL AREA FOR SEVERAL YEARS. NO RECORDS WERE FOUND TO DETERMINE THE PILOT'S INSTRUMENT FLIGHT OR NIGHT FLIGHT PROFICIENCY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.