NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF THE FLIGHT

On May 22, 1993, at 1300 central daylight time, a Beech C-18S, N67E, nosed-over and burned during the landing rollout at Scott's Due North Airport, North Branch, Minnesota. The airplane was destroyed. The commercial pilot was fatally injured, and the sole passenger aboard the airplane was seriously injured. The local flight originated at the airport at 1235. No flight plan was filed, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.

A witness who was working at the airport said the pilot did two fly-by passes for the dedication of a nearby shopping mall at 1250. At 1300 the pilot requested clearance to land. The witness told the pilot he was cleared to land, and that the wind was out of the south at 20 knots. The witness said the plane touched down fine, and five seconds into the landing roll it flipped over. He stated he called for emergency help, and then ran to the airplane. The passenger was out of the airplane. The airplane was engulfed in flames before he could assist the pilot.

The passenger was interviewed by telephone. He stated it was really windy that day, and that the pilot was having trouble controlling the airplane during landing. During the landing roll he stated the pilot said, "we're going over." After the airplane nosed over, the passenger said the pilot got out of his seat right away and said he was going back to open the door. The passenger stated he had some trouble getting his seatbelt undone.

When he extricated himself from his seat, he said it was really smoky, and a fire had started on the left side of the airplane. He went to the back of the airplane and said he found the pilot lying next to the door. He said he shook the pilot, but he did not respond. He said he egressed the airplane by knocking out the emergency exit on the right side, and crawling out.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot held a commercial pilot's certificate with airplane, single and multiengine land and sea ratings. He held an instrument rating, and was a flight instructor. He held a second class medical certificate with the limitation that he wear glasses when flying. From information provided by persons who knew the pilot, and from the flight time declarations the pilot made on documents contained in his permanent airman file, it is estimated the pilot had 4000 hours total time, and 500 hours in this airplane.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was manufactured in 1944, as a model C-18S. The airplane currently had a U.S. Navy SNB-1 paint scheme, but the permanent registration file showed the airplane was never used by any military force. The last inspection performed was an annual inspection on August 21, 1994. At that time the total airframe hours were 3805. The total time on the left and right engine respectively, at the time of the annual inspection was 1309 hours and 1286 hours. The time flown since the last inspection could not be determined.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The wind at the airport was reported by several persons to be from the south at 20 knots. The closest reporting weather facility is the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The record observation taken at 1250 recorded the wind from 180 degrees at 16 knots gusting to 22 knots.

WRECKAGE

The airplane was lying inverted on the northern half of runway 09. The cockpit, cabin, and most of the left wing had been destroyed by fire. On the grass runway there were skid marks 750 feet long on the right side of the ground track, and 560 feet long on the left side of the ground track. The right track begins 1000 feet from the landing threshold of runway 09. Where the skid marks stop there are seven pairs of parallel prop marks.

From the point where the prop marks stop there is a ground scar starting at the midpoint between the prop marks and terminating at the nose of the airplane.

The landing gear was down, and the flaps were in the full down position. Control continuity was established from the cockpit control pedestal to the ailerons, elevator, and both rudders. The left motor mount was broken and melted, and the engine was separated from the firewall. Both propellers have multiple bends and twists, and chordwise scratches on the blades. The throttle quadrant, and all the cockpit instrumentation was destroyed. The right side emergency escape window was lying on the ground under the right wing.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy and toxicological examination of the pilot was conducted. The autopsy was performed on May 23, 1993, at the Regina Medical Complex, Hastings, Minnesota, by John Plunkett, M.D. The cause of death was reported as smoke inhalation and carbon monoxidemia. The toxicological examination showed the carboxyhemoglobin saturation in the blood to be 58%, and cyanide was detected in the blood at a level of 1.1 mg/L.

ADDITIONAL DATA

The wreckage was released to Mr. Don Fergus, as agent for the owner, on May 23, 1993.

NTSB Probable Cause

excessive use of brakes by the pilot-in-command.