Cessna 172 N8283E

Summary

On 2 November 1991 at about 00:06 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N8283E, operated by Thief River Aviation, was involved in an accident near Bemidji, Minnesota, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 November 1991 at 00:06

Classification

Accident

Location

Bemidji, Minnesota, United States

Nearest airport

Bemidji Beltrami County (BJI)

Coordinates

47.4796, -94.8692

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N8283E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Thief River Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Thief River Fls

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CHI92LA021

1 person had minor injuries.

INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND, THE NON PERFORMANCE O FAN EMERGENCY PROCEDURE AND NOT MAINTAINING A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB ON BEHALF OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S NOT REMOVING ICE FROM THE AIRPLANE, NOT OBTAINING ALTITUDE DURING THE CLIMB, AND NOT MAINTAINING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT OF A SINGLE ENGINED AIRPLANE HAD JUST RECEIVED AN IFR CLEARANCE. THE AIRPLANE PERFORMED AN INTERSECTION TAKEOFF AT NIGHT WITH WINDS GUSTING TO 30 KNOTS AND BLOWING SNOW. JUST PRIOR TO ROTATION THE PILOT STATED HE OBSERVED THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR DISPLAYING '0'. HE DECIDED TO TAKEOFF BECAUSE HE BELIEVED INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINED FOR AN ABORTED TAKEOFF. AFTER TAKEOFF THE PILOT STATED HIS OTHER PRESSURE INSTRUMENTS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREE AND TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT'S CENTER. THE ON SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED A SLIGHT TRACE OF ICE WAS ON THE WINGS LEADING EDGE. ONE OF THE TWO STATIC PORTS WAS FOUND WITH ICE BLOCKING IT. THE SECOND STATIC PORT WAS DESTROYED DURING THE CRASH SEQUENCE. THE ALTERNATE STATIC SOURCE SWITCH WAS FOUND IN THE 'STANDBY' POSITION. THE PILOT STATED, 'I FIGURED I COULD USE THE ALTERNATE STATIC SOURCE ONCE I WAS UP HIGH ENOUGH TO CLEAR THE TREES.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.