Beech 36 accident near Hartford, Wisconsin, December 12, 2018
On December 12, 2018, a 1979 Beech 36, registered N6650M, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (IFR final approach) near Hartford, Wisconsin (Hartford Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain during landing in icing conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 12, 2018
- Place
- Hartford, Wisconsin · Hartford Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 36 A36, built 1979 · all 36s on the register
- Registration
- N6650M · no longer on the register · serial E-1518
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot in the retractable-landing gear-equipped airplane reported that, during an instrument flight rules night flight, he initiated an approach in instrument meteorological conditions. During the approach, he saw that rime ice had accumulated on the left wing. He continued the approach, extended the landing gear, and then configured the flaps for landing. The pilot attempted to level off at 1,620 ft, although the minimum descent altitude was 1,600 ft, but the airplane stalled. He applied forward pressure on the yoke to lower the nose and applied full throttle. He recalled that the airplane was extremely slow to respond and that it was "flying on the ragged edge of stall." The airplane exited the clouds, and he could see the airport, but the airplane impacted a field about 2.4 nautical miles short of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no 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
- Structural icing during approach (IFR final approach)
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (IFR final approach) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during approach (IFR final approach)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (IFR final approach)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,158 hours in all; 97 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 2,102 as pilot in command; 778 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 22, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,545 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 7, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550-B112B (piston); 827 hours total
- Operator: Hangar50 Llc
The flight
- Departed from: AZO Kalamazoo MS at 9:30 pm
- Destination: HXF Hartford WI
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
- Runway 29, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 080° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on June 17, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.