Cessna S550 accident near Newton, Iowa, January 12, 1995
On January 12, 1995 at about 1:30 am local time, a Cessna S550, registered N287MC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Newton, Iowa (Newton Municipal airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot-in-command's failure to attain runway alignment. A factor was a snowbank.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 12, 1995 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Newton, Iowa · Newton Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna S550 · all S550s on the register
- Registration
- N287MC · registry record · serial S550-0102
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BOTH PILOTS STATED THAT AFTER COMPLETING AN ILS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 32 THE AIRPLANE WAS ALIGNED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE CAPTAIN (FLYING PILOT) ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT TO THE CENTER OF THE RUNWAY; HOWEVER, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR TOUCHED DOWN OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY IN A SNOWBANK AND THE AIRPLANE EXITED 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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,510 hours in all; 4,053 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 3,950 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,316 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, November 7, 1994; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 15,100 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT15D-4B (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CAK North Canton OH
- Destination: TNU IA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 32, 5,599 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 0.2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:15 am from TNU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.