- Date
- October 26, 1993, 15:52 local (19:52 UTC)
- Place
- Front Royal, VA
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N82Beech 300/F
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 30, 1995
- Report
- Board-adopted at Board Meeting
- Investigation class
- Class 1
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Safety recommendations
- Yes
- Case key
- 10978
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the failure of the pilot-in-command to ensure that the airplane remained in visual meteorological conditions over mountainous terrain, and the failure of the Federal Aviation Administration executives and managers responsible for the FAA flying program to: 1)establish effective and accountable leadership and oversight of flying operations; 2)establish minimum mission and operational performance standards; 3)recognize and address performance-related problems among the organization's pilots; and 4) remove from flight operations duty pilots who were not performing to standards.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane was flying at 2,000 feet in the vicinity of high terrain when the airplane entered IMC conditions. The airplane struck the high terrain near the LINDEN VOR, while the PIC was awaiting an IFR clearance.
Factual narrative
The airplane, used to inspect airways facilities, had departed nearby Winchester Regional Airport in visual meteorlogical conditions (VMC) on a routine point-to-point flight to Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport. Witnesses described low clouds that were consistent with instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) in the area of the accident, which was about 15 south of the departure field. An IFR flight plan was on file in the ATC system, but the flight plan had not been activated. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR 91.
At 1549, the PIC reported, "we're over the Linden VOR at 2,000 feet, can you get us a little higher, VFR on top and we'll be on our way." The airplane struck high terrain at 2,000 feet.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N82
- Reported as
- Beech 300/F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- FF-17
- Airframe hours
- 3,353
- Engine
- P&W PT6A-60A, 1,050 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Public aircraft · Part 91
- Operator
- Federal Aviation Admin
- Registered owner
- Federal Aviation Admin
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · September 30, 1993 · 73 hours before
- Departed
- W16 · Winchester, VA
- Destination
- PHF · Newport News, VA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 55
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 6,700 total · 2,000 in this make and model · 108 in the last 90 days · 38 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft overcast
- Observed at
- W16, 15 nm away