Cessna 500 accident near West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, January 6, 1998
On January 6, 1998 at about 8:48 pm local time, a Cessna 500, registered N1DK, was destroyed in an accident near West Mifflin, Pennsylvania (Allegheny County airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to make a go-around when he failed to achieve a normal touchdown due to excessive speed, and which resulted in an overrun. Factors were the reduced visibility due to fog, and the wet runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 6, 1998 · about 8:48 pm local time
- Place
- West Mifflin, Pennsylvania · Allegheny County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 500 · all 500s on the register
- Registration
- N1DK · registry record · serial 500-175
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot initiated an ILS approach with rain and fog. Approach flaps were maintained until the runway was sighted, and then landing flaps were set. The airplane landed long, overran the runway, struck the ILS localizer antenna on the departure end of the runway, and came to rest at the edge of a mobile home park. The airplane and two mobile homes were destroyed by fire. Vref had been computed at 110 Kts. The PIC reported a speed on final of 130 Kts, while the SIC said it was 140 Kts. Radar data revealed a 160 knots ground speed from the outer marker until 1.8 miles from touchdown. The airplane passed the control tower, airborne, with 2,500 feet of runway remaining on the 6,500 foot long runway. Performance data revealed that the airplane would require about 2,509 feet on a dry runway, and 5,520 feet on a wet runway. The airplane was not equipped with thrust reversers or anti-skid brakes. The PIC was the company president, and the SIC was a recent hire who had flown with the PIC three previous times. The PIC was qualified for single-pilot operations in the airplane, and had been trained to fly stabilized approaches.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,745 hours in all; 1,260 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 64 in the last 30 days; 3,698 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,124 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 2, 1997; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT15D-1A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CAK Akron OH at 8:00 pm
- Destination: AGC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 10, 6,500 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 0.2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:49 pm from AGC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.