Beech 58P accident near Grand Marais, Minnesota, August 28, 2003
On August 28, 2003 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Beech 58P, registered N285V, was destroyed in an accident near Grand Marais, Minnesota (Grand Marais/Cook County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The continued descent below minimum descent altitude and the altitude/clearance not maintained by the pilot during approach to the airport. The low ceiling was a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 2003 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Marais, Minnesota · Grand Marais/Cook County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58P · all 58Ps on the register
- Registration
- N285V · no longer on the register · serial TJ-118
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was destroyed when it impacted trees and terrain about 1.5 nautical miles from the destination airport during a personal flight. The pilot made a planned en route stop prior to departing for the destination airport which had been reporting instrument meteorological condition with variable sky conditions resulting in ceilings below instrument approach minimums along with convective activity. These conditions persisted since the pilot's last reported weather briefing, about four hours prior to the approach. Prior to receiving an approach clearance, the pilot was issued a convective SIGMET encompassing the destination airport and its destination sky conditions, which were above approach minimums. There was no record of the pilot reporting a missed approach. The twin-engine airplane was destroyed by impact forces and fire. Both propellers exhibited impact signatures consistent with engine power. The flight control cables were traced to areas of separation within the wreckage as their related components had been destroyed. According to airplane records, the airplane was equipped with a four-color weather radar system.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,293 hours in all; 77 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 1,134 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,105 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2003
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-WB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: DLH Duluth MN at 2:48 pm
- Destination: CKC Grand Marais MN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 4,199 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 300 ft; clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 4:15 pm from CKC, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.