Beech 23-B24R accident near Walterboro, South Carolina, August 11, 1992
On August 11, 1992 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Beech 23-B24R, registered N6540R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Walterboro, South Carolina (Cattertons Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND. FACTORS WERE THE SOFT RUNWAY, AND THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE WHICH EXISTED AT THE TIME OF THE ATTEMPTED DEPARTURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 1992 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Walterboro, South Carolina · Cattertons Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 23-B24R · all 23-B24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N6540R · no longer on the register · serial MC-306
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT WAS ATTEMPTING TO DEPART THE 2400 FOOT SOD AIRFIELD. DURING THE DEPARTURE ROLL, PASSENGERS STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED A SOFT SPOT IN THE RUNWAY SURFACE, AND APPEARED TO SLOW DOWN. AFTER LIFTOFF, THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED TREES ON THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY AND CRASHED INTO TERRAIN. THE TEMPERATURE IN THE AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 92 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, AND THE DENSITY ALTITUDE FOR THE RUNWAY WAS IN EXCESS OF 2000 FEET.
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: 70 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,698 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 18, 1992; 201 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 9:00 pm
- Destination: 8S5 Mount Pleasant SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 2,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from CHS, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.