Beech A23-24 accident near Beaufort, North Carolina, October 18, 2003
On October 18, 2003 at about 9:05 pm local time, a Beech A23-24, registered N2394W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Beaufort, North Carolina (Beaufort - Michael J. Smith airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudgment of speed and distance, and his failure to perform a go-around which resulted in an overrun and on ground collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 18, 2003 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Beaufort, North Carolina · Beaufort - Michael J. Smith · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A23-24 · all A23-24s on the register
- Registration
- N2394W · no longer on the register · serial MA-8
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that, as he approached the airport, he had difficulty recognizing the runways. When he realized runway 14 was in front of him, he elected to land on it. The airplane bounced three times and went off the end of the runway into a ditch. A witness stated the airplane came in fast and was about 60 feet above runway 14 when it crossed the intersection with runway 3. The witness estimated the airplane had one hundred yards of runway remaining when the pilot "forced it down." The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction with the airplane.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 817 hours in all; 8 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,397.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 4, 2002
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KBKW Beckley WV at 6:10 pm
- Destination: KMRH Morehead City NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from KNKT, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.