Beech 58 accident near Charleston, South Carolina, December 6, 1984
On December 6, 1984 at about 9:34 am local time, a Beech 58, registered N7230R, was destroyed in an accident near Charleston, South Carolina (Charleston Executive airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- December 6, 1984 · about 9:34 am local time
- Place
- Charleston, South Carolina · Charleston Executive
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N7230R · no longer on the register · serial TH-555
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT DESCENDED BELOW MDA DURING A NIGHT VOR (NON-PRECISION) APCH TO AN UNCONTROLLED ARPT AND COLLIDED WITH TREES & GROUNDWHICH WERE OBSCURED BY FOG. THE PLT HAD 'PUSHED' HIMSELF TO MAKE THE TRIP ACCORDING TO FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES IN AN ATTEMPT TO WIN AN ELECTION RESULT APPEAL. HIS LAWYERS REPORTEDLY ARGUED THAT THE TRIP ON THE ACCIDENT NIGHT WAS NOT URGENT & THE MISSION COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED BY OTHER MEANS. THE PLT INSISTED ON GOING TO DO THE JOB HIMSELF IN SPITE OF THE KNOWN ADVERSE WX. THE PHYSICAL STRAIN & FATIGUE WERE APPARENT ACCORDING TO FRIENDS WHO HAD 'GIVEN UP', THEY SAID, INTRYING TO STOP HIM FROM OVER EXERTION & LENGTHY WORK DAYS. THE TOXICOLOGY REPORTS SHOWED EVIDENCE OF A DRUG NAMED METHAMPHETAMINE COMMONLY CALLED 'SPEED'. HIS WIFE DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE DRUG & HIS DOCTOR DENIED PRESCRIBING IT. IT IS NOT LEGALLY OBTAINABLE WITHOUT PRESCRIPTION AND IS AN APPETITE SUPPRESSANT. PLTS WIFE SAID HE HAD LOST 'ABOUT 20 LBS' IN RECENT MONTHS. HE HAD NOT REPORTEDLY SEEN A DR RECENTLY. NO MECH DISCREPANCIES OF A CAUSAL NATURE WERE FOUND.
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: 1,359 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,275 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 7, 1984; 150 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-CB7 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CUB Columbia SC at 7:24 am
- Destination: JZI Charleston SC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 am from CHS, 11 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.