Beech 58 accident near West Columbia, South Carolina, November 25, 1992
On November 25, 1992 at about 7:17 am local time, a Beech 58, registered N9321Q, was destroyed in an accident near West Columbia, South Carolina (Columbia Metro airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S CONTINUED OPERATION WITH KNOWN DEFICIENT EQUIPMENT, HIS IMPROPER DESCENT, AND HIS FAILURE TO PERFORM A MISSED APPROACH. A FACTOR WAS THE OPERATOR'S INADEQUATE SURVEILLANCE OF THE PILOT'S PROCEDURES AND THE MAINTENANCE OF THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 25, 1992 · about 7:17 am local time
- Place
- West Columbia, South Carolina · Columbia Metro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N9321Q · no longer on the register · serial TH182
- 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
THE PILOT HAD STATED TO FRIENDS & OTHER COMPANY PILOTS THAT THE GLIDE SLOPE IN THE AIRPLANE WAS INOPERATIVE. THIS AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED REMOTELY FROM THE OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE OFFICES OF THE COMPANY. THE PILOT HAD REPORTED TO THE COMPANY, BY TELEPHONE, THAT THERE WAS A DISCREPANCY WITH THE GLIDE SLOPE. HE HAD NOT COMPLETED THE DISCREPANCY FORM CONTAINED IN THE COMPANY MANUAL. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THE GLIDE SLOPE REPAIRED. THE REMOTE MAINTENANCE FACILITY WAS OVERLOADED WITH WORK SO, THE PILOT ASKED HIS COMPANY TO INTERCEDE WITH THE AVIONICS SHOP CHIEF TO REPAIR N9321Q. SUBSEQUENTLY, NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE AIRPLANE & THE PILOT COMMENCED HIS NORMAL FLIGHT SCHEDULE. UPON RETURN TO THE ORIGINATION AIRPORT, AN ILS APPROACH WAS ATTEMPTED. ABOUT ONE MILE FROM THE RUNWAY THE ATC CONTROLLER OBTAINED CONFIRMATION FROM THE PILOT THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS AT 1,300 FEET. THE PILOT WAS ASKED IF A MISSED APPROACH WOULD BE EXECUTED, TO WHICH HE RESPONDED NO. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS ABOUT 1 MILE BEYOND THE RUNWAY.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,750 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,983 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 28, 1992; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Grand Strand Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: CLT Charlotte NC at 6:45 am
- Destination: CAE Columbia SC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 11, 8,602 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 020° at 4 knots
- Sky: overcast at 100 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 am from CAE, 1 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.