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CHI90IA106

1990-04-03 · WEST LAFAYETTE, Indiana, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport LAF

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

AN UNDETECTED ACCUMULATION OF ICE ON THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. RELATING FACTORS WERE THE MANUFACTURER'S LACK OF INFORMATION AND AIRCRAFT MANUALS RELATIVE TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF, AND APPROPRIATE PROCEDURES TO PREVENT THE LOSS OF CONTROL.

Factual narrative

THE TRANSPORT CATEGORY AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNING TO THE HOME BASE EMPTY (BALLAST ONLY). WEATHER CONDITIONS EXISTED WHICH WERE CONDUCIVE TO AIRFRAME ICING. ON FINAL APPROACH, WHEN LANDING FLAPS WERE SELECTED, THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED NOSE DOWN ACCOMPANIED BY BUFFETING OF THE AIRFRAME. THE CAPTAIN TOOK CONTROL (FIRST OFFICER HAD BEEN FLYING) AND ADDED FULL POWER. THE FIRST OFFICER SELECTED 15 DEGREES FLAP. THE AIRCRAFT RECOVERED, BUT CONTINUED TO EXHIBIT BUFFETING. THE AIRCRAFT DIVERTED TO AN AIRPORT WITH A LONGER RUNWAY AND A SUCCESSFUL LANDING WAS ACCOMPLISHED. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED SUBSTANTIAL ICE ACCUMULATION OUTSIDE THE BOOTED AREA ON THE HORIZONTAL TAIL. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_CHI90IA106.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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