On January 6, 2010, at 0741 central standard time, a Beech model 99 airplane, N206AV, was substantially damaged during a hard landing following an instrument approach in instrument meteorological conditions at Kearney Municipal Airport (EAR), Kearney, Nebraska. The commercial pilot was not injured. The commercial flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 with an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan. The cross-country flight originated at Eppley Airfield (OMA), Omaha, Nebraska.
The pilot reported the airplane picked up light to moderate icing on approach and he cycled the deicing boots once prior to the final approach fix. He said he was established on the instrument landing system (ILS) approach to Runway 36 at 120 knots indicated airspeed, configured with gear and 30 degrees flaps, when he broke out of the weather about 250 feet above ground level (AGL). He estimated the approach brought the airplane 60 feet right of the runway centerline when he broke out of the weather, so he made a correction to align with the runway. He said when the airplane was wings level and about 25 feet above the runway “the left wing stopped flying” and the airplane landed hard on the left main landing gear. During post flight inspection of the airplane there was 3/8 to ½ inch of ice on the airplane wings.
Examination of the airplane revealed the number one propeller tips were bent and the left wing rear spar was bent inboard of the number one engine.