Beech B-33 accident near Asheville, North Carolina, September 3, 1991
On September 3, 1991 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Beech B-33, registered N1782G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Asheville, North Carolina (Ritter Airpark 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 PILOT'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR TAKEOFF. FACTORS WERE TALL WET GRASS, AND THE FAILURE OF AIRPORT PERSONNEL TO MAINTAIN THE RUNWAY SURFACE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 1991 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Asheville, North Carolina · Ritter Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B-33
- Registration
- N1782G · registry record · serial CD 510
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A NORMAL TAKEOFF FROM A TURF AIRSTRIP WITH TALL AND WET GRASS. AS THE AIRPLANE ACCELERATED ON THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE PILOT REALIZED THAT A SAFE TAKEOFF AND CLIMBOUT WERE NOT POSSIBLE. HE ELECTED TO REJECT THE TAKEOFF. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A DITCH OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURAL DAMAGE.
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: 4,185 hours in all; 2,397 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 4,060 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,467 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 8, 1991; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NC33 Mills River NC at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 2,150 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,500 ft; scat at 1,400 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from AVL, 20 miles away
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.