Beech A60 accident near Manassas, Virginia, March 11, 1989
On March 11, 1989 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Beech A60, registered N98DS, was destroyed in an accident near Manassas, Virginia (Manassas airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL DUE TO THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN MINIMUM ENGINE CONTROL SPEED AFTER A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER OF THE LEFT ENGINE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. THE PILOT'S INEXPERIENCE IN TYPE OF AIRCRAFT AND AN OVER MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT AIRCRAFT WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 1989 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Manassas, Virginia · Manassas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A60 · all A60s on the register
- Registration
- N98DS · no longer on the register · serial P-227
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES REPORTED THE ACFT TOOK OFF AND CLIMBED TO ABOUT 300 FT WHILE IN A WIDE LEFT TURN. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE WINGS WERE ROCKING AND ERRATIC ENGINE SOUNDS WERE NOTED. THE ACFT WAS TURNING DOWNWIND WHEN IT ABRUPTLY PITCHED DOWN, ROLLED LEFT UNTIL INVERTED, DESCENDED AND CRASH. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTION, ALTHOUGH THE LEFT PROP HAD LESS ROTATIONAL DAMAGE THAN THE RIGHT PROP. EXAMINATION OF ACFT RECORDS REVEALED THE ACFT WAS INACTIVE FOR ABOUT 9 YRS UNTIL IT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE LESS THAN A YEAR BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE ACFT ACCUMULATED ABOUT 17 HRS SINCE IT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE. THE PLT STATED TO A WITNESS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT THAT HE HAD NOT DONE SINGLE ENGINE OPERATION IN THE ACFT. THE ACFT WAS OVERLOADED MORE THAN 200 LBS.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 25,130 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,775 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 29, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 6,775 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-541-E1C4 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Rts Service INC.
The flight
- Destination: ILG Wilmington DE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16L, 5,700 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from IAD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.