Beech 58 accident near Huntingburg, Indiana, December 18, 2000
On December 18, 2000 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Beech 58, registered N4558S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Huntingburg, Indiana (Huntingburg 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 proper touchdown point not obtained/maintained by the pilot. Factors were the snow covered runway, the ice contaminated windshield, and the airport snow removal performed by the driver of the vehicle.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 18, 2000 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Huntingburg, Indiana · Huntingburg · 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 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N4558S · no longer on the register · serial TH-680
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane landed 15 feet short of runway 09 following a go-around from an instrument approach. The pilot initiated a go-around when a snowplow entered the runway. The pilot reported that he made two position reports on the UNICOM frequency. The first report was 30 miles or 15 minutes from the airport and the second was 1 to 1-1/2 miles during the final approach. The driver of the snowplow reported only hearing the 15-minute call and heard a second transmission while the airplane was flying over him. The pilot stated that the airplane 'mushed' when power was reduced in an attempt to land on the 'numbers'. The pilot had the trailing edge flaps retracted. The pilot also stated that the windshield deice was working while en route but was not functioning during the approach. Approximately 1/2 of the windshield was contaminated by ice. A notice to airman indicated that braking action was poor with 0.25 inches of snow.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,084 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 824 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,521 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 18, 2000; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,424 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-C7B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FMY Fort Meyers FL at 6:25 pm
- Destination: HNB
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 190° at 12 knots
- Sky: overcast at 1,400 ft; clear
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:15 pm from HNB
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.