Piper PA-31T and Beech 200C mid-air collision near Benson, North Carolina, March 7, 1984
On March 7, 1984 at about 9:40 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-31T (N9162Y) and Beech 200C (N390AC), were involved in a mid-air collision near Benson, North Carolina. No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 1984 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- Benson, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-31T · all PA-31Ts on the register
- Registration
- N9162Y · registry record · serial 31T-8120104
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Beech 200C · all 200Cs on the register
- Registration
- N390AC · registry record · serial BL-5
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-31T final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PIPER PA-31T, N9162Y, & A BEECH 200C, N390AC, WERE INVOLVED IN A MIDAIR COLLISION WHILE BOTH WERE CRUISING AT 17,500 FT IN UNLIMITED VISIBILITY. THE PIPER WAS TRACKING INBOUND ON THE 210 DEG RADIAL OF THE RICHMOND VOR. THE BEECH WAS TRACKING INBOUND ON THE 340 DEG RADIAL OF THE WILMINGTON VOR. BOTH ACFT WERE SUBSTANTALLY DAMAGED, BUT BOTH AIRCREW WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE FLYING & LAND SAFELY. THE PLT OF THE PIPER SAID THAT HE SAW A TAN FLASH JUST BEFORE THE COLLISION. THE PILOT OF THE BEECH DID NOT SEE THE PIPER. THE COCKPIT VIEW OF THE PA-31 PILOT WAS SOMEWHAT RESTRICTED BY THE LEFT, WINDSHIELD SIDE POST. LIKEWISE, THE BEECH PLT'S VIEW WAS SOMEWHAT RESTRICTED BY THE WINDSHIELD CENTER POST & THE WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM. THE ACFT CONVERGED ON ONEANOTHER WITH A COLOSURE SPEED OF ABOUT 420 KTS & IN THE SAME GENERAL DIRECTIONS THAT THE PLTS' VIEW WERE OBSTRUCTED.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Beech 200C final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PIPER PA-31T, N9162Y, AND A BEECH 200C, N390AC, WERE INVOLVED IN A MIDAIR COLLISION WHILE BOTH WERE CRUISING AT 17,500 FT IN UNLIMITED VISIBILITY. THE PIPER WAS TRACKING INBOUND ON THE 210 DEG RADIAL OF THE RICHMOND VOR. THE BEECH WAS TRACKING INBOUND ON THE 340 DEG RADIAL OF THE WILMINGTON VOR. BOTH ACFT WERE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, BUT BOTH AIRCREW WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE FLYING AND LAND SAFELY. THE PLT OF THE PIPER SAID THAT HE SAW A TAN FLASH JUST BEFORE THE COLLISION. THE PILOT OF THE BEECH DID NOT SEE THE PIPER. THE COCKPIT VIEW OF THE PA-31 PILOT WAS SOMEWHAT RESTRICTED BY THE LEFT, WINDSHIELD SIDE POST. LIKEWISE, THE BEECH PLT'S VIEW WAS SOMEWHAT RESTRICTED BY THE WINDSHIELD CENTER POST AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM. THE ACFT CONVERGED ON ONE ANOTHER WITH A CLOSURE SPEED OF ABOUT 420 KTS AND IN THE SAME GENERAL DIRECTIONS THAT THE PLT'S VIEWS WERE OBSTRUCTED.
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 for the Piper PA-31T from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 1,081 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,562 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme; 506 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,000 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-28 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PMP Pompano Beach FL at 7:22 pm
- Destination: RIC Richmond VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from FAY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
The factual record for the Beech 200C from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,392 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 7,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,439 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 10, 1984; 439 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-41 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W27 Smithfield NC at 9:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.