Beechcraft A24R N37329
28 December 1989 · Merrill, Wisconsin, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 28 December 1989 at about 20:50 local time, a Beechcraft A24R registered N37329, operated by 37329 Inc., was involved in an accident near Merrill, Wisconsin, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 20:50
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Merrill, Wisconsin, United States
- Coordinates
- 45.1799, -89.6992
- Aircraft
- Beechcraft A24R
- Registration
- N37329
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- 37329 Inc.
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Ironwood → Belvidere
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- Unk
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CHI90FA055
People
3 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER BY THE PILOT, AND STRUCTURAL/WING ICE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ICING CONDITIONS AND TREES IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES & TERRAIN AS THE PLT WAS ATTEMPTING TO REACH AN ARPT. HE HAD TOLD ATC PSNL THAT STRUCTURAL ICE WAS ACCUMULATING ON THE ACFT AND THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT DSCNDD BELOW AN ALT WHERE RADAR CONTACT COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED. AIR & GROUND SEARCH PROCEDURES WERE STARTED AFTER ALL CONTACT WITH THE ACFT WAS LOST. THREE DAYS LATER, THE ACFT WAS FOUND BY GROUND SEARCHERS. THE WEATHER ALONG THE ROUTE CONSISTED OF LOW OVERCAST SKIES, BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES & FOG. LAYERED PIECES OF ICE WERE FOUND IN THE WRECKAGE AREA, WHICH WERE 3/4 TO 1-1/4 INCH THICK; THESE PIECES OF ICE CONTAINED INNER SURFACES THAT MATCHED THE SHAPE OF AIRFOILS. WEATHER IN THE AREA WAS INFLUENCED BY A WARM FRONT WITH LOW OVERCAST SKIES, FREEZING TEMPS & FOG TO THE NORTH OF THE FRONT. BEFORE THE FLT, THE PLT WAS ADVISED OF OCCASIONAL MODERATE RIME ICING ALONG HIS ROUTE.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Beechcraft A24R accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Aug 1989 | Beechcraft A24R | Sarasota, Florida, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 22 Nov 1989 | Beechcraft A24R | Richmond, Minnesota, United States | Muhs, David P. | Minor injuries | - |
| 25 Jun 1989 | Beechcraft A24R | Evanston, Wyoming, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 May 1989 | Beechcraft A24R | Ely, Nevada, United States | James F. Winfield | Serious injuries | - |
| 12 Nov 1989 | Beechcraft A24R | Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 4 Jun 1989 | Beechcraft A24R | Gulfport, Mississippi, United States | Capital City Air Service, Inc. | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Aug 1989 | Lancair 235 | Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 14 Aug 1989 | Bell 47G-2A-1 | Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 17 Aug 1989 | Cessna 172P | Superior, Wisconsin, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 14 Oct 1989 | Cessna 172M | Cedarburg, Wisconsin, United States | Nack, James W. | No injuries | - |
| 15 Jan 1989 | Cessna 150J | Osceola, Wisconsin, United States | LEE Rasmussen | No injuries | - |
| 12 Feb 1989 | Piper PA-28R-201 | Stevens Point, Wisconsin, United States | Plodzien, Thomas J. | No injuries | - |