N70DD

On January 03, 2009, a Beech 58 (N70DD) was involved in an incident near Brainerd, MN. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's improper flare which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the unforcasted freezing rain that obscured the windscreen and hindered the pilot's ability to judge the height of the airplane above the runway.

The pilot reported that during the flight he encountered unforecasted freezing rain. He questioned air traffic control about the weather and was told that they were not showing any precipitation. The pilot requested and received a descent to a lower altitude to stay below the clouds. The airplane's airspeed continued to decrease and the pilot informed air traffic control that he wanted to divert to a nearby airport. The pilot made two low passes over the airport while trying to clear ice off of the windshield; however, the windshield alcohol de-ice could not keep up with the ice accumulation. The pilot stated he had to look out of the side window during the landing and once he descended below the tree line, he was unable to accurately judge his height over the runway.

This incident is documented in NTSB report CEN09CA120. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N70DD.