Beech 99 accident near Waukesha, Wisconsin, April 24, 2017
On April 24, 2017 at about 5:25 pm local time, a Beech 99, registered N899CZ, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Waukesha, Wisconsin (Waukesha County airport). It was an instructional 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
An in-flight collision with a bird during the approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 24, 2017 · about 5:25 pm local time
- Place
- Waukesha, Wisconsin · Waukesha County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 99 A · all 99s on the register
- Registration
- N899CZ · registry record · serial U-96
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot flying the airplane reported that, during an instrument flight rules instructional flight, the airplane was established on a very high frequency omnidirectional range approach. The pilot reported that, during the approach, he observed a large bird dive into the airplane's nose section. The pilot recalled that there was no time to react between the initial observation and impact. He terminated the training flight and landed the airplane as soon as practical and without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage frame. 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
- Birdstrike during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Ability to respond/compensate
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,568 hours in all; 518 in this make and model; 154 in the last 90 days; 2,425 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 28, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,244 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 170 in the last 90 days; 588 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 10, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 30,823 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, April 3, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 10,399 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-28 (turboprop); 12,978 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-28 (turboprop); 18,099 hours total
- Operator: Freight Runners Express INC
The flight
- Departed from: KMKE Milwaukee WI at 4:10 pm
- Destination: KEUS Waukesha WI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 5,849 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 5:24 pm from KUES
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
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 GAA17CA244.