Beech A-36 accident near Buffalo Center, Iowa, May 9, 1999
On May 9, 1999 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Beech A-36, registered N53LE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Buffalo Center, Iowa (Blue Farm Strip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot not attaining a proper touchdown point and not performing a go around. Factors were the wet grass and the tailwin.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 1999 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Buffalo Center, Iowa · Blue Farm Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A-36 · all A-36s on the register
- Registration
- N53LE · registry record · serial E2972
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he could not determine the surface wind direction as he flew over the restricted landing area. The pilot said he touched down about halfway down the runway that was 2,500' long. The pilot said he could not stop on the wet grass and skidded off the runway, collided with an earthen berm, and skidded to a stop in the field next to the runway end. He said he realized he had landed long and downwind. The owner of the restricted landing area said he had no wind direction or landing direction indicator at his landing area.
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: 5,200 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 5,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 796 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, December 2, 1998; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,833 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental I-0-550-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FTW Fort Wayne IN at 2:30 pm
- Destination: RLA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from MCW, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.