Beech E18S accident near Denver, North Carolina, October 3, 1983
On October 3, 1983 at about 5:54 pm local time, a Beech E18S, registered N700M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Denver, North Carolina (Little Mountain Airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- October 3, 1983 · about 5:54 pm local time
- Place
- Denver, North Carolina · Little Mountain Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E18S · all E18Ss on the register
- Registration
- N700M · no longer on the register · serial BA 246
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAXIING ONTO THE RWY THE PLT RAN THE ENGS UP TO TAKEOFF POWER OF 36' MP & BEGAN THE TAKEOFF ROLL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER SHE REDUCED POWER TO ABOUT 25'-30' MP BECAUSE THE ACFT APPEARED TO ACCELERATE SLOWLY. AFTER A QUICK SCAN OF THE INSTRUMENTS WHICH REVEALED NOTHING UNUSUAL, SHE AGAIN PUSHED FORWARD ON THE THROTTLE. ANOTHER CHECK OF THE INSTRUMENTS INDICATED THAT SHE WAS ONLY UP TO 30'-33' MP, SO SHE PUSHED THE THROTTLES FORWARD MORE TO GET 36' MP. BY THIS TIME THE ACFT STARTED A DRIFT TO THE RIGHT WHICH SHE WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT. THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE RWY INTO TREES.THE ACFT WAS FOUND TO HAVE 10 DEGS OF FLAPS DOWN.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,030 hours in all; 765 in this make and model; 271 in the last 90 days; 1,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,851 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, August 15, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 10,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985-AN14B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mountain Air Cargo
The flight
- Destination: AVP Scranton PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 3, 3,200 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from HKY, 18 miles away
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.