Beech C33A accident near Paintsville, Kentucky, July 20, 1993
On July 20, 1993 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Beech C33A, registered N3722Q, was destroyed in an accident near Paintsville, Kentucky (Combs Field). It was a personal 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
1) FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT AT THE NUMBER 2 MAIN JOURNAL DUE TO UNDETERMINED REASON (S) WHICH RESULTED IN THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND 2) THE PILOT NOT MAINTAINING AN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS INADEQUATE ALTITUDE FOR THE PILOT TO RECOVER FROM THE STALL/SPIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 1993 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Paintsville, Kentucky · Combs Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C33A
- Registration
- N3722Q · no longer on the register · serial CE129
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO FAA PROVIDED TRANSCRIPTS OF COMMUNICATIONS THE AIRPLANE WAS AT CRUISE FLIGHT OF 10,000 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL AND 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT WHEN THE PILOT REPORTED HE HAD LOST ENGINE POWER, AND REQUESTED THE NEAREST AIRPORT. INDIANAPOLIS AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER CONTROLLER GAVE THE PILOT VECTORS TO THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT REPORTED HE HAD THE AIRPORT IN SIGHT AND THAT HE WOULD ATTEMPT TO LAND ON RUNWAY 31. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT HE SAW THE AIRPLANE MAKE A STEEP TURN AND THEN IT FELL TO THE GROUND. THE AIRPORT IS SITUATED IN A MOUNTAIN VALLEY WITH 500 FOOT HILLS ON BOTH SIDES. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED ON RUNWAY 13 AND WAS DESTROYED BY POST IMPACT FORCES AND POST IMPACT FIRE. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A BROKEN CRANKSHAFT. THE CRANKSHAFT WAS REMOVED AND SENT TO THE NTSB LAB IN WASHINGTON, DC. A METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THE CRANKSHAFT HAD FAILED WHERE A FATIGUE CRACK HAD INITIATED ON THE SURFACE OF THE AFT RADIUS OF THE #2 MAIN JOURNAL.
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: 4,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 18, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520BA (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: C & D Enterprises INC.
The flight
- Departed from: BAF Westfield MA at 6:22 pm
- Destination: M88 Nashville TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13, 3,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from JKL, 25 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.