Beech BE-18 accident near Covington, Kentucky, March 9, 1989
On March 9, 1989 at about 11:17 am local time, a Beech BE-18, registered N3281T, was destroyed in an accident near Covington, Kentucky (Cincinnati airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF WITH COATING OF FROST ON THE AIRFRAME WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF LIFT DURING CLIMBOUT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 9, 1989 · about 11:17 am local time
- Place
- Covington, Kentucky · Cincinnati · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-18
- Registration
- N3281T · no longer on the register · serial BA-611
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
N3281T WAS ATTEMPTING AN INSTRUMENT DEPARTURE WHEN IT CRASHED LEFT OF THE EXTENDED CENTER LINE OF RUNWAY 18. THE FLIGHT WAS OBSERVED CLIMBING THROUGH 200 FEET PRIOR TO DESCENDING TO THE GROUND. PRIOR TO TAXIING TO TAKEOFF THE PILOT FAILED TO DEICE THE AIRFRAME. AIRPLANES ON THE PARKING RAMP AROUND N3281T DEICED PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. WEATHER REPORTS INDICATED THAT TEMP/DEW POINT WERE 26 AND 23 DEGREES RESPECTIVELY. THE SURFACE OBSERVATION ALSO REPORTED FOG AS A RESTRICTION TO VISIBILITY. ACCORDING TO THE AIRPLANE'S HANDBOOK THAT TESTS PROVE THAT A COAT OF FROST ON A WING CAN DESTROY ITS LIFT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,560 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 9,560 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,262 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 15, 1989; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-20 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Ajax Leasing INC
The flight
- Departed from: CVG Covington KY at 11:18 am
- Destination: DTW Detroit Metro MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 9,501 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:17 am from CVG
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.
Other NTSB records under N3281T the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.