Summary
On March 05, 2020, a Cessna 208 (N706FX) was involved in an accident near Rhinelander, WI. The accident resulted in 1 serious injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot's improper decision to continue an instrument approach to landing following a loss of visual reference with the runway, which resulted in the airplane touching down left of the runway in snow and flipping over.
The pilot reported that upon reaching the decision altitude on a GPS instrument approach, he saw the runway end identifier lights and continued the approach. Shortly thereafter the lights disappeared and then reappeared. He continued the approach and landing thinking he was lined up with the runway by using the runway edge lights for reference. Upon touching down, the airplane dug into the snow and flipped over resulting in substantial damage to the wings and tail. The airplane landed about 225ft left of the runway. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
This accident is documented in NTSB report CEN20CA119. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N706FX.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's improper decision to continue an instrument approach to landing following a loss of visual reference with the runway, which resulted in the airplane touching down left of the runway in snow and flipping over.
Aircraft Information
Analysis
The pilot reported that upon reaching the decision altitude on a GPS instrument approach, he saw the runway end identifier lights and continued the approach. Shortly thereafter the lights disappeared and then reappeared. He continued the approach and landing thinking he was lined up with the runway by using the runway edge lights for reference. Upon touching down, the airplane dug into the snow and flipped over resulting in substantial damage to the wings and tail. The airplane landed about 225ft left of the runway. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN20CA119