Beech 58 accident near Oelwein, Iowa, July 9, 1994
On July 9, 1994 at about 3:57 pm local time, a Beech 58, registered N6404Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oelwein, Iowa (Oelwein Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's decision to land on a runway with a tailwind. Factors associated with the accident were the tailwind and the wet runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 1994 · about 3:57 pm local time
- Place
- Oelwein, Iowa · Oelwein Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N6404Z · no longer on the register · serial TJ-404
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported he flew in instrument meteorological conditions en route to the destination airport. He had planned an instrument approach to runway 13. Descending through 3,000 feet he encountered visual conditions, cancelled IFR, and flew a visual arrival to runway 13. He requested an airport advisory on the unicom frequency with no response. The pilot said he landed with a tailwind on the wet runway. Winds were from 290 degrees at 11 knots. A witness saw the airplane land long and porpoise during the landing. The airplane sustained substantial damage when it departed the runway.
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: 961 hours in all; 62 in this make and model; 869 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,240 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BJC Denver CO at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,400 ft; scat at 1,100 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:57 pm from OLZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.