Beech A36 accident near New Vienna, Iowa, March 28, 2003
On March 28, 2003 at about 9:49 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N1636W, was destroyed in an accident near New Vienna, Iowa. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper planning/decision by the pilot to fly into forecast icing conditions with an airplane not equipped with a certified deice system. The continued flight in known icing conditions and the flight to an alternate destination not performed by the pilot were additional causes. A contributing factor was the pilot's lack of qualification as an air carrier.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 2003 · about 9:49 pm local time
- Place
- New Vienna, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N1636W · no longer on the register · serial E348
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted terrain during an uncontrolled descent from cruise flight about 22 nautical miles southwest of an en route airport. Just prior to a loss of radar/radio contact with air traffic control, the pilot was initiating a climb to a higher altitude from which he previously descended where he reported light rime icing. He reported that he wanted to get between what he described as layers. Weather data and information indicated that the airplane encountered occasional light rime or mixed icing after the pilot reported light rime icing and later encountered a patch of supercooled large droplets and accumulated moderate to severe icing before its uncontrolled descent. An AIRMET for occasional moderate rime or mixed icing was issued for an area that included the accident route of flight. The pilot logged a total actual instrument time 39.7 hours since he received his instrument rating in 1982. He logged 2.7 hours of instrument time in the last 90 days and 1.9 hours in the last 30 days before the accident. The airplane was not equipped with a wing deice system and did not have a current pitot static system check. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any anomalies which would have precluded normal operation.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,420 hours in all; 212 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 15, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 25, 2003
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ARR Aurora IL at 8:39 pm
- Destination: MOX Morris MN
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 13 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,700 ft; clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.73 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from DBQ, 22 miles away
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.