Beech A90 accident near Summerville, South Carolina, September 22, 2003
On September 22, 2003 at about 3:30 am local time, a Beech A90, registered N34HA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Summerville, South Carolina (Dorchester County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning which resulted in fuel exhaustion and subsequent loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 2003 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Summerville, South Carolina · Dorchester County · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A90
- Registration
- N34HA · registry record · serial LJ315
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, prior to takeoff, he had the airplane fueled with 20 gallons of fuel in each wing for the short cross-country flight. After takeoff the airplane climbed to an altitude of 9500 feet. During the downwind to the arrival airport the right engine lost power. Shortly after the left engine lost power, the pilot made an emergency off-airport landing. Examination of the fuel system revealed that the fuel tanks were not beached, and there was a small amount of residual fuel in the fuel tanks. The exact amount of fuel onboard the airplane at the time of the departure was not determined.
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 sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 9,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A SER (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BNL Barnwell SC at 10:00 pm
- Destination: DYB Summerville SC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 100° at 11 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,700 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.