Beech 65-88 accident near Spokane, Washington, November 22, 1990
On November 22, 1990 at about 2:22 am local time, a Beech 65-88, registered N6CH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spokane, Washington (Spokane Int'L airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF HIS TOUCHDOWN DUE TO DISORIENTATION CAUSED BY HIS LACK OF FORWARD VISIBILITY CREATED BY AN ACCUMULATION OF ICE ON THE WINDSHIELD.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 1990 · about 2:22 am local time
- Place
- Spokane, Washington · Spokane Int'L
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 65-88 · all 65-88s on the register
- Registration
- N6CH · registry record · serial LP 43
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE BEECH 65-88 RETURNED TO HIS DEPARTURE AIRPORT DUE TO REPORTS OF SEVERE TURBULENCE ALONG HIS PROJECTED ROUTE. HE STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD HAD APPROXIMATELY 1/2 TO 3/4' OF ICE ON IT, ACCUMULATED DURING CLIMBOUT FROM THE AIRPORT. HE STATED THAT HE BECAME DISORIENTED WHILE TRYING TO LAND WHILE LOOKING OUT OF THE SIDE WINDOW. BOTH ENGINES WERE DISPLACED DOWNWARDS BY THE ENSUING HARD LANDING.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,839 hours in all; 68 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 2,467 as pilot in command; 6 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,800 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IGSO-540-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GEG
- Destination: BFI Seattle WA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:52 am from GEG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
Other NTSB records under N6CH the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 SEA91LA022.