Beech B-23 accident near Topping, Virginia, October 14, 1983
On October 14, 1983 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Beech B-23, registered N5234M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Topping, Virginia (Hummel 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 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 14, 1983 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Topping, Virginia · Hummel · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B-23 · all B-23s on the register
- Registration
- N5234M · no longer on the register · serial M-2015
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT OVERRAN THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY AND COLLIDED WITH A DITCH DURING LANDING. THE WEATHER WAS VMC. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT 2 GO-AROUNDS HAD BEEN MADE BECAUSE THE ACFT WAS HIGH. ON THE 3RD APPROACH A TOUCHDOWN WAS MADE ABOUT 1/2 WAY DOWN THE 2500 FT RWY. THE PILOT THOUGHT SHE COULD STOP SO SHE RETRACTED THE FLAPS AND USED THE BRAKES. THE ACFT DID NOT STOP AND THE COLLISION WITH A DITCH FAILED THE NOSE GEAR.
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
- Flight time: 118 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 64 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,910 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 29, 1983; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-4AK (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Services INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Greensboro NC at 9:20 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 18, 2,500 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 15,000 ft; not recorded at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.