Beech F90 accident near Poplar Bluff, Missouri, February 6, 2017
On February 6, 2017 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 1980 Beech F90, registered N246CA, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (IFR final approach) near Poplar Bluff, Missouri (Poplar Bluff Muni 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s descent below the minimum descent altitude during a nonprecision approach, which resulted in a tree strike.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 6, 2017 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Poplar Bluff, Missouri · Poplar Bluff Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech F90 UNDESIGNAT, built 1980 · all F90s on the register
- Registration
- N246CA · registry record · serial LA-27
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during an instrument meteorological conditions flight, he chose to accomplish an area navigation approach. He reported that he descended to his minimum descent altitude of 800 ft, decreased the airspeed, and began looking outside the cockpit for the runway. He recalled that the visibility was 3/4 mile, and that, about 20 seconds later, the airplane struck tree tops. The pilot immediately executed the missed approach procedure and made an approach to an alternate airport. The right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Altitude deviation during approach (IFR final approach)
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during approach (IFR final approach) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Effect on equipment
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine sea; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 26,500 hours in all; 3,424 in this make and model; 128 in the last 90 days; 47 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 8, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,639.8 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 21, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 10,950 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PT6A/60A (turboprop); 8,547 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney PT6A/60A (turboprop); 8,581 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DTN Shreveport LA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: POF Poplar Bluff MO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 5,008 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.76 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA17CA150.