Beech 58 accident near Ainsworth, Nebraska, February 7, 2001
On February 7, 2001 at about 1:05 pm local time, a Beech 58, registered N52BA, was destroyed in an accident near Ainsworth, Nebraska (Ainsworth airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper in-flight decision to continue flight into known adverse weather. A factor was the icing conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 7, 2001 · about 1:05 pm local time
- Place
- Ainsworth, Nebraska · Ainsworth · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N52BA · registry record · serial TH-52
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
At 0705 CST, while attempting an approach to runway 17 at Ainsworth, Nebraska, the airplane impacted a frozen cornfield at a shallow angle on a heading of 280 degrees and skidded to a stop, 3,070 feet north-northeast of the approach end of runway 17. Much of the airplane was consumed by postimpact fire. The airplane departed Lincoln, Nebraska about 0545. The pilot first reported the airplane was picking up light, mixed ice at 0612. The pilot reported that he continued to pick up ice at 0629, 0632, and 0637. At 0643, he reported "picking up lots of ice right now." At 0658, he reported moderate mixed icing and freezing rain. Emergency responders reported the weather conditions on the ground included freezing rain and ice, and that the roads were covered with 1/4 inch of ice. Inspection of the airplane revealed no preexisting anomalies. The airplane was equipped with de-ice boots on the wings and horizontal stabilizer, and anti-icing alcohol for the propeller and windshield. The Pilot Operation Handbook limitation section contained the following warning: "Ice protection equipment which may be installed on this airplane has not been demonstrated to meet requirements for flight into known icing conditions."
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,450 hours in all; 240 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 2,346 as pilot in command; 1,660 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 31, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,930 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 1, 2000; 88 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: LNK Lincoln NE at 11:30 am
- Destination: VTN Valentine NE
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17, 6,802 ft by 110 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 13 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 800 ft
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 12:52 pm from ANW, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.