NTSB CHI90LA053 — 1989-12-29 · JENISON, Michigan, United States

Aircraft involved

N1294T Piper PA-34-200 None

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING THE APPROACH. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE ICING CONDITION THAT EXISTED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

Factual narrative

THE FLIGHT WAS A MULTI-ENGINE CHECK RIDE FOR THE PILOT/APPLICANT. BOTH PILOTS REPORTED THAT AS THEY WERE ON A SHORT FINAL APPROACH THE AIRCRAFT 'ABRUPTLY OSCILLATED (BUFFETED), PITCHED NOSE UP THEN NOSE DOWN...' THE NOSEWHEEL IMPACTED THE RUNWAY AND BROKE OFF, AND THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOTS STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD ACCUMULATED ABOUT 1/2' OF MIXED ICE DURING THEIR DESCENT THROUGH THE CLOUDS. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN MODIFIED WITH A ROBERTSON STOL KIT IN JULY, 1976. THE AIRCRAFT IS NOT CERTIFIED OR EQUIPPED FOR FLIGHT IN ICING CONDITIONS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_CHI90LA053.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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