Beech 19 accident near Lafayette, Indiana, January 18, 2009
On January 18, 2009, a Beech 19, registered N6509T, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Lafayette, Indiana (Purdue University Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadvertent encounter with icing conditions during initial climb. Contributing to the accident were the lack of visibility during the landing due to an ice covered windscreen, and the structural ice that adversely affected the flight characteristics of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 18, 2009
- Place
- Lafayette, Indiana · Purdue University Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 19 A · all 19s on the register
- Registration
- N6509T · registry record · serial MB-349
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to the night flight, the pilot obtained a "full, low-level weather briefing" and filed an instrument flight rules flight plan. Shortly after departure, the pilot encountered icing conditions and began to experience a severe vibration in the aircraft flight controls at 5,000 feet mean sea level (msl). The pilot elected to return to the departure airport. During the instrument approach to land, the airplane continued to accumulate ice on the airframe, and continued toward the terrain in a 1,500 feet per minute descent. At 1,750 feet msl, the airplane "broke out of the clouds with the windscreen completely covered with ice." Subsequently, the airplane impacted the terrain approximately 40 feet short of the runway and skidded to a stop on the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. Examination of the airplane's systems and powerplant revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane's wings and windscreen had approximately 1 inch of ice on the respective surfaces. The pilot reported that icing conditions were not forecasted or reported prior to his flight.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Structural icing during enroute defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Effect on equipment
- factor Environmental issues › Task environment › Physical workspace › Visibility › Effect on personnel
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Ability to respond/compensate
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 306 hours in all; 297 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 264 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 18, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,687.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 8, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O320-E2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAF Lafayette IN at 11:39 pm
- Destination: SBN South Bend IN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23, 4,225 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 250° at 9 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.78 inHg
- Observation at 11:30 pm from LAF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.