Cessna 340 accident near Pineville, West Virginia, April 7, 1988
On April 7, 1988 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Cessna 340, registered N340FB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pineville, West Virginia (Welch 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM OBSTACLES WHILE TAXIING THE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 1988 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pineville, West Virginia · Welch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340 · all 340s on the register
- Registration
- N340FB · no longer on the register · serial 340-0098
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF THE ACFT CONTACTED A SAGGING WIRE WHICH WAS SUSPENDED BY TWO HANGARS. THE TOP 2 INCHES OF THE RUDDER WERE SEVERED. THE PLT WAS UNAWARE OF THE WIRE CONTACT AND FLEW ONTO HIS DESTINATION WHERE A LINEMAN INFORMED THE PLT OF THE DAMAGE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,700 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,013 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1987; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,975 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: CRW Charleston WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 pm from BKW, 23 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.