Beech F33A accident near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, April 20, 1990
On April 20, 1990 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Beech F33A, registered N179DD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Milwaukee Mitchell airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE UTILIZATION OF IMPROPER PROCEDURES ON THE PART OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND BY ATTEMPTING TO EXECUTE A COUPLED APPROACH OUTSIDE THE PARAMETERS OF THE AUTOPILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 20, 1990 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin · Milwaukee Mitchell · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech F33A · all F33As on the register
- Registration
- N179DD · no longer on the register · serial CE743
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ENGAGED THE AUTOPILOT APPROACH MODE TO EXECUTE A COUPLED ILS APPROACH WHILE HE WAS HIGH AND FAST WITH A 2000 FOOT PER MINUTE RATE OF DESCENT. THIS WAS OUTSIDE THE PARAMETERS FOR A STABILIZED APPROACH. WHEN THE AUTOPILOT CAPTURED THE GLIDE SLOPE, THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER SHARPLY, FLEW THROUGH THE GLIDE SLOPE, PULLED UP SHARPLY, FLEW THROUGH THE GLIDE SLOPE GOING UP, AND NOSED OVER AGAIN BEFORE THE PILOT COULD DISENGAGE THE AUTOPILOT. PILOT LANDED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT, BUT THE PITCH EXCURSIONS HAD EXCEEDED THE STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,003 hours in all; 888 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 1,915 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,886 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1989; 275 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAR Fargo ND at 6:10 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from MKE, 4 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.
Other NTSB records under N179DD the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.