Cessna 340 N69556

Summary

On 28 December 1989 at about 21:30 local time, a Cessna 340 registered N69556 was involved in an accident near Merrill, Wisconsin, United States. 5 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 December 1989 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Merrill, Wisconsin, United States

Nearest airport

Merrill Muni (RRL)

Coordinates

45.1793, -89.6997

Aircraft

Cessna 340

Registration

N69556

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

St Paul → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI90FA056

Nobody was injured.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALIGNMENT WITH THE RUNWAY DURING HIS LANDING ROLL AND AN INFLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH ICING CONDITIONS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A SNOWBANK DURING AN ATTEMPTED LANDING. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE ENCOUNTERED FREEZING RAIN AFTER BREAKING OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET AGL DURING HIS INSTRUMENT APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT. HE STATED THAT ICE ACCUMULATED ON THE WINDSHIELD FASTER THAN THE DEICERS COULD REMOVE IT AND HE WAS FORCED TO MAKE HIS APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY WITH NO FORWARD VISIBILITY. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN TO THE LEFT OF CENTERLINE ON THE 75 FOOT WIDE RUNWAY AND THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED LEFT UNTIL THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLIDED WITH A SNOWBANK ON THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR AND THE NOSE LANDING GEAR THEN FAILED AND THE AIRPLANE SLID TO A STOP.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.