Beechcraft A36 N88MN

Summary

On 24 June 2011 at about 23:35 local time, a Beechcraft A36 registered N88MN was involved in an accident near Charlevoix, Michigan, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 June 2011 at 23:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Charlevoix, Michigan, United States

Coordinates

45.3047, -85.2753

Aircraft

Beechcraft A36

Registration

N88MN

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fort Wayne → Charlevoix

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN11FA417

2 people died.

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.

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

Read the full 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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.