Beech 33 accident near West Palm Beach, Florida, September 16, 1996
On September 16, 1996 at about 11:27 am local time, a Beech 33, registered N108VW, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Palm Beach, Florida (North County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The maintenance personnel failure to properly inspect the fuel system during the last annual inspection.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 16, 1996 · about 11:27 am local time
- Place
- West Palm Beach, Florida · North County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 33
- Registration
- N108VW · no longer on the register · serial CD-152
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was changing the fuel selector position from the left tank to the right tank when the engine lost power. He attempted an emergency landing; the airplane collided with the ground one mile west of the airport. Examination of the fuel selector valve assembly disclosed that the upper roll pin was not installed in the rotor assembly. A search of the wreckage at the accident site failed to recover the upper roll pin. An examination of the machined roll pin installation hole through the mast of the fuel selector, also failed to reveal evidence of a previous installation. Additionally, safety wire material was recovered from under the selector detent plate. A flow check of the fuel selector assembly disclosed that fuel flowed through the assembly without restriction. According to the annual inspection checklist, the fuel selector valve should be inspected for leakage. security, freedom, proper detent, and condition. The airframe maintenance logs showed that a current annual inspection had been accomplished. The pilot reportedly had performed the annual inspection under the supervision of an Authorized Inspector (AI).
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,349 hours in all; 1,300 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 2,486 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,086 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 17, 1996
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F88 Fort Pierce FL at 11:00 am
- Destination: FXE Fort Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13, 4,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:44 am from PBI, 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.