Beech 76 accident near Morgantown, West Virginia, June 30, 1985
On June 30, 1985 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Beech 76, registered N6002P, was destroyed in an accident near Morgantown, West Virginia (Morgantown Muni airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- June 30, 1985 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Morgantown, West Virginia · Morgantown Muni
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 76 · all 76s on the register
- Registration
- N6002P · no longer on the register · serial ME-125
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI & DUAL STUDENT WERE ON A FLT TO FAIRMONT, WV SO THE STUDENT COULD RECEIVE A MULTI-ENG FLT EXAM. THE STUDENT STATED THAT SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF FROM RWY 18, THE CFI CLOSED THE MIXTURE CONTROL ON THE RIGHT ENG 'TO SIMULATE AN ENGINE FAILURE.' THE ACFT BEGAN TO YAW TO THE RIGHT & THE STUDENT APPLIED LEFT RUDDER & AILERON TO CORRECT THE YAW. ACCORDING TO THE CFI, THE STUDENT THEN REVERSED THE INPUTS MOMENTARILY & THE ACFT ROLLED TO THE RIGHT. THE CFI THEN DECREASED THE PITCH ATTITUDE OF THE ACFT & LEVELED THE WINGS. HOWEVER, THE ACFT IMPACTED THE GROUND APRX 200 FT WEST OF RWY 18 & WAS DESTROYED BY POST IMPACT FIRE. THE STUDENT STATED THAT THE ACFT HAD REACHED AN ALT OF ABOUT 100 TO 150 FT AGL WHEN THE 'SIMULATED ENGINE FAILURE' WAS INITIATED. HE FURTHER STATED THAT IT WAS A COMMON PRACTICE FOR THE CFI TO SIMULATE AN ENG FAILURE BY CLOSING THE MIXTURE CONTROL.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,373 hours in all; 290 in this make and model; 278 in the last 90 days; 6,270 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,100 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 10, 1985; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,900 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1G6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Pro Aero
The flight
- Destination: 4G7 Fairmont WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 5,199 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:47 pm from MGW, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.