CHI04LA042

Factual narrative

On December 16, 2003, about 0730 central standard time, a Beech 99, N399CZ, operated as Freight Runners Express flight 1544 from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Mosinee, Wisconsin, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing on runway 8 (7,645 feet by 150 feet, concrete) at Central Wisconsin Airport (CWA), near Mosinee, Wisconsin. The 14 CFR Part 135 non-scheduled domestic cargo flight was operating on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airline transport pilot reported no injuries. The flight originated from General Mitchell International Airport, near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, about 0630 and was landing at CWA at the time of the accident. The pilot stated: On approach to rwy 8 at CWA I got high [and] right of course. When I broke out of clouds around 1000 [feet above ground level] I saw the runway, realizing I was high I pulled the power back [and] increased my rate of descent. I started to arrest my rate of descent [and] add power to keep my speed up. The engines didn't spool up in time resulting in a hard [landing]. I noticed the right wing was a little low taxing in so I thought maybe I blew a tire on landing. Not until I shut down [and] got out did I realize I hit the prop about an inch back [and] the engine nacelle dropped down several inches in front. The pilot reported that the flight did not have any mechanical malfunctions. At 0645, the CWA recorded weather was: Wind 330 degrees at 8 knots; visibility 4 statute miles; present weather light snow; sky condition overcast 300 feet; temperature 1 degree C; dew point -1 degree C; altimeter 29.41 inches of mercury. At 0755, the CWA recorded weather was: Wind 330 degrees at 15 knots gusting to 20 knots; visibility 4 statute miles; present weather light snow; sky condition broken 1,200 feet, overcast 2,500 feet; temperature -2 degrees C; dew point -4 degrees C; altimeter 29.44 inches of mercury. The airplane sustained substantial damage during a hard landing. The pilot stated, "On approach to rwy 8 at [Central Wisconsin Airport] I got high [and] right of course. When I broke out of clouds around 1000 [feet above ground level] I saw the runway, realizing I was high I pulled the power back [and] increased my rate of descent. I started to arrest my rate of descent [and] add power to keep my speed up. The engines didn't spool up in time resulting in a hard [landing]. I noticed the right wing was a little low taxing in so I thought maybe I blew a tire on landing. Not until I shut down [and] got out did I realize I hit the prop about an inch back [and] the engine nacelle dropped down several inches in front." The weather was: Wind 330 degrees at 8 knots; visibility 4 statute miles; present weather light snow; sky condition overcast 300 feet; temperature 1 degree C; dew point -1 degree C; altimeter 29.41 inches of mercury. The pilot reported that the flight did not have any mechanical malfunctions. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12