Beech A36 accident near Pontiac, Michigan, March 10, 2000
On March 10, 2000, a Beech A36, registered N311JR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pontiac, Michigan (Oakland County Int'L airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 decision to fly into known adverse weather conditions which included icing and his inability to maintain aircraft control and a proper glidepath during the approach. Factors associated with the accident were the icing weather conditions and the rough terrain that the airplane encountered during the undershoot landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 2000
- Place
- Pontiac, Michigan · Oakland County Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N311JR · no longer on the register · serial E447
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported there was no mention of icing during the weather briefing he received prior to the flight. He reported that during the approach, at an altitude of about 5,000 feet, the airplane 'rapidly' began to pick up ice. The pilot reported the ice buildup was sudden in onset and rapid, occurring over a few minutes. He reported that it became difficult to maintain airspeed and altitude, and he broke out of the clouds one to two miles from the airport at an altitude of 600 feet. The pilot reported that once he had '...the runway made' he lowered the landing gear at which time the airplane began 'to sink and lose altitude rapidly despite my use of full power and attempts to level off.' The airplane impacted the rough terrain approximately 1/4 mile short of the approach end of the runway. Inspection of the airplane revealed it was covered with about 2 inches of ice. A review of the Flight Service Station weather briefing that the pilot received revealed the briefer informed the pilot of a SIGMET for severe icing in Michigan with occasional severe rime mixed or clear icing in clouds and in precipitation below 8,000 feet. The briefer also informed the pilot of an AIRMET for the entire route of flight for occasional moderate rime or mixed icing in clouds and in precipitation below 10,000 feet.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 635 hours in all; 410 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 585 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 5, 1999; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PWK Wheeling IL at 11:00 pm
- Destination: PTK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27L, 6,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 020° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 2.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.