Beech 65 accident near Madison, Virginia, May 16, 1992
On May 16, 1992 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Beech 65, registered N30RR, was destroyed in an accident near Madison, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT INITIATED VFR FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS LOW CEILING, HIGH TERRAIN, AND LOW ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 1992 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Madison, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 65 · all 65s on the register
- Registration
- N30RR · no longer on the register · serial LC186
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT WAS EN ROUTE TO HIS GRANDDAUGHTER'S GRADUATION EXERCISES SCHEDULED FOR THE FOLLOWING DAY. HE HAD RECEIVED TWO PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFINGS FROM FLIGHT SERVICE AND HE WAS ADVISED THAT MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS EXISTED EN ROUTE, AND INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AT HIS DESTINATION, AND THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. A WITNESS WHO WAS BELOW THE MOUNTAIN SAID HE HEARD A LOW FLYING AIRCRAFT OVERHEAD. HE STATED THAT HE CAUGHT A GLIMPSE OF THE AIRPLANE AND SAID IT WAS 'WELL BELOW THE CREST OF THE MOUNTAIN' HEADING SOUTH. THE WEATHER AS REPORTED BY THE WITNESS WAS ABOUT 200 OVERCAST AND VISIBILITY BELOW 1 MILE IN FOG. HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE CLOUDS HAD OBSCURED THE MOUNTAIN. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE HEARD WHAT WAS LATER DETERMINED TO BE THE COLLISION. SEARCH PERSONNEL LOCATED THE BURNING WRECKAGE ON TOP OF MITCHELLS MOUNTAIN 50 MILES NORTH OF CHARLOTTESVILLE.
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: 6,003 hours in all; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 5,825 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 7,700 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IGSO-480 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ABE Allentown PA at 4:37 pm
- Destination: CHO Charlottesville VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.