Beech 99 accident near Mosinee, Wisconsin, December 16, 2003
On December 16, 2003 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Beech 99, registered N399CZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mosinee, Wisconsin (Central Wisconsin airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 failure to maintain the proper descent rate and his inadequate flare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 16, 2003 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mosinee, Wisconsin · Central Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 99 · all 99s on the register
- Registration
- N399CZ · registry record · serial U52
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage during a hard landing. The pilot stated, "On approach to rwy 8 at [Central Wisconsin Airport] I got high [and] right of course. When I broke out of clouds around 1000 [feet above ground level] I saw the runway, realizing I was high I pulled the power back [and] increased my rate of descent. I started to arrest my rate of descent [and] add power to keep my speed up. The engines didn't spool up in time resulting in a hard [landing]. I noticed the right wing was a little low taxing in so I thought maybe I blew a tire on landing. Not until I shut down [and] got out did I realize I hit the prop about an inch back [and] the engine nacelle dropped down several inches in front." The weather was: Wind 330 degrees at 8 knots; visibility 4 statute miles; present weather light snow; sky condition overcast 300 feet; temperature 1 degree C; dew point -1 degree C; altimeter 29.41 inches of mercury. The pilot reported that the flight did not have any mechanical malfunctions.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 55 in the last 30 days; 8,000 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 10, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 35,914.7 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, December 9, 2003; 8.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-27 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-27 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Freight Runners Express INC
The flight
- Departed from: MKE Milwaukee WI at 12:30 pm
- Destination: CWA Mosinee WI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 8, 7,645 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.40 inHg
- Observation at 12:45 pm from CWA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.