Devils Lake - Rolla

On February 24, 1994 at 09:49 AM, Devils Lake - Rolla experienced a crash involving Cessna 401, operated by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with the event recorded near Minot-Intl North Dakota.

The flight was categorized as government and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

4 people were known to be on board, 4 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 3, passenger fatalities: 3, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The public use flight was being operated by the Indian Health Service of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. It departed VFR from Devils Lake, North Dakota, with an intended destination of Rolla, North Dakota. The pilot attempted two visual approaches at Rolla, but encountered whiteout conditions due to a snow storm. He obtained an IFR clearance and diverted to Minot. He flew two ILS approaches to runway 31 at Minot and reported a missed approach after each. Radio contact was lost after the second approach. About an hour later, a snow plow operator found wreckage on the airport. Investigation revealed the plane had impacted to the right of runway 31 with the gear retracted and the flaps extended 15°. The 0959 weather was in part: 600 feet obscured, visibility 1/2 mile variable in snow, wind 110° at 11 knots. No preimpact mechanical anomaly was found with the airplane or engines. All four occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration N4071Q, MSN 401A-0115, year of manufacture 1969.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 48.2579°, -101.2770°.