Beech A36TC accident near Three Rivers, Michigan, January 6, 2009
On January 6, 2009 at about 10:29 pm local time, a Beech A36TC, registered N92WT, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Three Rivers, Michigan (Three Rivers Municipal 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 visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to continue the flight into an area with conditions that were conducive to icing and the loss of engine power due to induction icing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 6, 2009 · about 10:29 pm local time
- Place
- Three Rivers, Michigan · Three Rivers Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36TC · all A36TCs on the register
- Registration
- N92WT · registry record · serial EA-230
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, who was on a cross-country flight, departed after a planned stop to refuel the airplane and receive a flight service station weather briefing. The pilot stated that he did not recall any reports of icing during the briefing. The pilot reported picking up light rime ice while descending from 9,000 feet for a global-positioning-system approach. The pilot reported that as he neared the airport he was able to maintain only 17 inches of manifold pressure. The pilot executed a forced landing on a frozen river about 1 mile south of the airport. The pilot reported the airplane normally stalls at 62 knots; however, it stalled at 82 knots during the landing. Inspection of the airplane revealed the entire span of both wings contained 1/16 to 1/8 inch of rime ice on the lower surface of the wings from the leading edge trailing aft about 12 inches. Ice was also visible on portions of the leading edge of both wings and the windscreen was iced over. The horizontal stabilizer was covered with about 3/16 inch of rime ice and the vertical stabilizer was covered with 1/8 to 3/16 inch of mixed ice. The alternate air door was in the closed position. The air inlet was crushed and packed with snow. All three propeller blades were twisted and bent rearward. The nose and left main gears collapsed and the right main gear was pushed up into the wing. The rear spars on both wings were bent and the flaps were buckled. The pilot received Direct User Access Terminal Service and flight service weather briefings that showed the existence and/or possibility of icing conditions near his destination.
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 (descent) defining event
- Loss of engine power (partial) during approach
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Effect on equipment
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › Air intake › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,333 hours in all; 485 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: September 6, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,338.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 20, 2008; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,833 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-520 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: J & F Wings Over Texas LLC
The flight
- Departed from: SGF Springfield MO at 8:02 pm
- Destination: HAI Three Rivers MI
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,400 ft
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.57 inHg
- Observation at 10:37 pm from HAI, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN09LA122.