Beech E-90 accident near Boyne City, Michigan, November 15, 2021
On November 15, 2021 at about 5:45 pm local time, a 1974 Beech E-90, registered N290KA, was destroyed in an accident during approach (IFR final approach) near Boyne City, Michigan (Boyne City Muni airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack while in icing conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent ground impact.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 2021 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Boyne City, Michigan · Boyne City Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech E-90, built 1974 · all E-90s on the register
- Registration
- N290KA · registry record · serial LW59
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on final approach, the airplane gradually slowed to near its stall speed. About 600 ft beyond the last recorded data, the airplane impacted the ground in a nose down attitude that was consistent with a stall. Postaccident examination revealed no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have contributed to the accident. Witnesses near the accident site reported very heavy sleet with low visibility conditions, whereas a witness located near the final approach flightpath, about 2 miles before the accident site observed the airplane fly by below an overcast cloud layer with no precipitation present. Based on the witness accounts and weather data, the airplane likely entered a lake effect band of heavy sleet during the final portion of the flight. The airplane was modified with 5-bladed propellers, and other pilots reported it would decelerate rapidly, especially when the speed/propeller levers were moved to the high rpm (forward) position. The pilot usually flew a larger corporate jet and had not flown the accident airplane for 8 months. The passenger was a student pilot with an interest in becoming a professional pilot. The pilot’s poor airspeed control on final approach was likely influenced by a lack of recency in the turboprop airplane. The workload of inflight deicing tasks may have also contributed to the poor airspeed control. The aerodynamic effects of the heavy sleet that was encountered near the accident site likely contributed to the stall to some degree.
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 in flight during approach (IFR final approach) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Freezing rain/sleet › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 700 in this make and model
- Last flight review: November 8, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,491 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 13, 2021; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,160 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Honeywell TPE331-10-511 (turboprop); 2,290 hours total
- Engine 2: Honeywell TPE331-10-511 (turboprop); 2,290 hours total
- Operator: N290Ka LLC
The flight
- Departed from: PTK Pontiac MI at 4:50 pm
- Destination: N98 Boyne City MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 4,001 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,400 ft; scat at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 12:35 pm from KMGN, 13 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KMGN 151735Z AUTO 36003KT 10SM SCT012 BKN024 OVC042 02/01 A2995 RMK AO2 T00290012
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
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 CEN22FA032.