Beech 23 accident near Front Royal, Virginia, October 18, 1987
On October 18, 1987 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Beech 23, registered N2387Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Front Royal, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 18, 1987 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Front Royal, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 23 · all 23s on the register
- Registration
- N2387Q · no longer on the register · serial M467
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE FLYING AT ABT 2000 FT AGL, THE PLT NOTICED A CHANGE IN ENG SOUND. THE TACH INDCN DROPPED BELOW 1000 RPM & THE SUCTION GAUGE WENT BELOW THE GREEN ARC. DURING A SUBSEQUENT EMERG LNDG, THE NOSE & LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED IN SOFT TERRAIN. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT OR ENG WAS FOUND. THE ENG RAN SATISFACTORILY DURING AN OPNL CHECK AFTER THE ACDNT. THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 67 & 42 DEG, RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE TO CARB ICE.
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: 560 hours in all; 460 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 480 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,050 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 8, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 1,560 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FDK Frederick MD at 7:00 pm
- Destination: GAI Gaithersburg MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from MRB, 27 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.