Beechcraft 390 accident near Lewistown, Missouri, December 23, 2008
On December 23, 2008 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Beechcraft 390, registered N20NL, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Lewistown, Missouri (Sparpe Farms Airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of directional control during landing on an ice-contaminated runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 23, 2008 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lewistown, Missouri · Sparpe Farms Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beechcraft 390
- Registration
- N20NL · no longer on the register · serial RB-106
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to departure, the pilot was informed that it had been raining; the roads were wet, but no mention of ice at his destination. During the approach to the destination airport, the runway appeared "wet", and a normal approach and landing was attempted. The airplane touched down at 110 knots, the pilot "then deployed lift dump and [then applied the] brakes". Unable to get braking action, the pilot tried to slide the airplane "left and right" to get traction, but could not. The airplane departed the south end of the 4,370-foot-long runway, went over the edge of an embankment and stopped next to a levee. There were no reported pre-impact malfunctions with the airplane. The Manufacturer Approved Airplane Flight Manual Supplement for Airplanes Operating on Wet and Contaminated Runways; General Information Section, states operations on runways contaminated with ice or wet ice are not recommended and no operational information is provided. Using the supplement, the anticipated landing distance on a wet runway was calculated to be about 3,400 feet, the anticipated landing distance on an uncontaminated runway was calculated to be approximately 2,800 feet, and the prescribed landing speed (Vref) was determined to be about 111 knots. A braking action (runway condition) report for the private airfield's runway did not exist, nor was one required.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Snow/slush/ice covered › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,750 hours in all; 1,927 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 13,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 18, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,005 hours in all; 155 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 805 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 10, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,927 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 1, 2008
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Williams FJ-44 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cns Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: MKC Kc Downtown MO
- Destination: MO09 Lewistown MO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13, 4,370 ft by 65 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,200 ft; ovct at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 8:50 pm from UIN, 29 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.