Cessna 402B N5087Q

Summary

On 31 December 1997 at about 00:17 local time, a Cessna 402B registered N5087Q, operated by Sioux Falls Aviation, was involved in an accident near Watertown, South Dakota, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 December 1997 at 00:17

Classification

Accident

Location

Watertown, South Dakota, United States

Nearest airport

Watertown Municipal (ATY)

Coordinates

44.9101, -97.1593

Aircraft

Cessna 402B

Registration

N5087Q

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Sioux Falls Aviation

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Marshall

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CHI98LA073

1 person died.

the pilot's failure to perform an aircraft preflight and to remove the ice which had accumulated on the airframe. A factor involved in the accident was the icing weather conditions which existed and the ice which accumulated on the airplane.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot landed at Watertown, loaded and off-loaded cargo, and departed without getting out of the airplane. A witness reported seeing the airplane over the runway at an altitude of about 50 feet agl. The airplane was described to be bouncing and buffeting. Another witness reported the weather as overcast with occasional snow flakes. The airplane then descended, impacted the terrain and exploded. Post accident inspection revealed a 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick ridge of rime ice along the leading edge of the left horizontal stabilizer. Pieces of arc shaped ice were located along the wreckage path. Inspection of the wreckage failed to reveal any preimpact failure/malfunction of the engine or airframe which would have prevented flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.