Beech 77 accident near Cluster Springs, Virginia, July 23, 1989
On July 23, 1989 at about 5:40 pm local time, a Beech 77, registered N18257, was destroyed in an accident near Cluster Springs, Virginia. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PERFORM AN ADEQUATE PREFLIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN AN UNLATCHED FUEL FILLER CAP. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MONITOR THE FUEL SUPPLY DURING THE FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 1989 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- Cluster Springs, Virginia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 77 · all 77s on the register
- Registration
- N18257 · no longer on the register · serial WA-298
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STU PILOT WAS EN ROUTE WHEN SHE RADIOED THE ENGINE WAS LOSING POWER. ACCORDING TO ANOTHER PLT, THE STU PLT SOUNDED PANIC-STRIKEN DURING THE TRANSMISSION. THE ACFT CRASHED INTO A SMALL POND, SURROUNDED BY AN OPEN FIELD. DAMAGE TO THE ACFT, INDICATED THE ACFT STRUCK THE POND IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. INSPECTION OF THE LEFT WING SURFACE BEHIND THE FUEL TANK FILLER NECK, INDICATED THE FUEL CAP WAS UNFASTENED AND LAYING ON THE WING INFLIGHT. A FLIGHT TEST IN A SIMILAR ACFT WITH AN UNFASTENED LEFT FUEL CAP REVEALED THE CAP MOVED AFT AND WAS HELD BY ITS CHAIN. DURING THE TEST, FUEL SIPHONED FROM THE LEFT FUEL TANK. FUEL PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS INDICATED THE ACFT WOULD HAVE USED UP TO 13 GAL DURING THE FLIGHT. IT HAD A 30 GAL FUEL CAPACITY, 15 GAL PER TANK.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 103 hours in all; 103 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 20 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,884 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 22, 1989; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Piedmont Aviation Services INC
The flight
- Departed from: ORF Norfolk VA at 4:00 pm
- Destination: South Boston VA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from RDU
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.