Beech 58P accident near Banner Elk, North Carolina, July 20, 1996
On July 20, 1996 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Beech 58P, registered N6461U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Banner Elk, North Carolina (Elk River Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's misjudgment of distance and speed during the approach to land, and his failure to attain the proper touchdown point on the runway for the landing, which resulted in an overrun and collision with a tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 1996 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Banner Elk, North Carolina · Elk River Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58P · all 58Ps on the register
- Registration
- N6461U · no longer on the register · serial TJ-398
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Upon arriving in the Banner Elk Airport area, the pilot established a traffic pattern for runway 12. He stated that, due to the high terrain features around the airport, runway 12 was the preferred runway for landings. The airplane touched down about 1,000 feet beyond the approach end of the 4,600 foot long runway. As the airplane rolled toward the end of the runway, the pilot applied heavy braking that resulted in a blown main landing gear tire. The airplane rolled off the departure end of the runway and down an embankment, and collided with a tree. No mechanical problems were reported with the airplane by the pilot.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 520 hours in all; 405 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,710 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 23, 1996; 266 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TDF Roxboro NC at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 4,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:18 pm from AVL, 35 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.