Beech B24R accident near Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, October 30, 1992
On October 30, 1992 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Beech B24R, registered N6581R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE FROM THE TERRAIN/OBSTRUCTIONS. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S LACK OF A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING, AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 30, 1992 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Waynesburg, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech B24R · all B24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N6581R · registry record · serial MC-303
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITHOUT RECEIVING A WEATHER BRIEFING, THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT DEPARTED UNDER VFR CONDITIONS AND ENCOUNTERED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DESCENDED TO REMAIN BELOW THE CLOUD CEILING WHICH HE ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT '50 FEET ABOVE THE HILLS,' AND HE REALIZED HE WAS APPROACHING TOO CLOSE TO TERRAIN SO HE BEGAN A CLIMB INTO THE CLOUDS. HE INITIATED A 180 DEGREE TURN IN AN ATTEMPT TO EXIT THE CLOUDS; HOWEVER, DURING THIS MANEUVER, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A GUY WIRE FROM A RADIO TOWER. THE LEFT WING WAS DAMAGED, BUT THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO EXECUTE A LANDING AT A NEARBY AIRPORT.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 301 hours in all; 260 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 243 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,644 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 26, 1991; 195 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,790 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CKB Clarksburg WV at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from MGW, 20 miles away
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.