Beech 58 accident near Stowe, Vermont, November 26, 1993
On November 26, 1993 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Beech 58, registered N4VG, was destroyed in an accident near Stowe, Vermont. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT DID NOT FOLLOW THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURE AFTER LOSS OF POWER IN THE RIGHT ENGINE, BY FAILING TO FEATHER THE RIGHT ENGINE AND FAILING TO MAINTAIN MINIMUM SINGLE-ENGINE CONTROL SPEED. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ADHERE TO THE CAUTIONS CONCERNING OPERATION OF THE ENGINES DURING DESCENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 26, 1993 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Stowe, Vermont
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N4VG · registry record · serial TH-865
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PASSENGER REPORTED THAT WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS ABOUT 6 MI FROM THE DESTINATION AIRPORT AT 6000' MSL, THE PILOT BEGAN A DESCENT BY REDUCING THE POWER TO IDLE, PLACING THE PROPELLERS TO FULL FORWARD (HIGH RPM), LOWERING THE LANDING GEAR, EXTENDING THE FLAPS, & SLOWING TO 110 KNOTS. WHEN THE AIRPLANE WENT BELOW THE INTENDED APPROACH PATH ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH, THE PILOT APPLIED POWER, BUT THE RIGHT ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE YAWED 80 TO 90 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT. HE SAID A STALL WAS EMINENT, SO HE REDUCED THE POWER & ROLLED THE WINGS LEVEL. THE PLANE STRUCK TREES & THE TERRAIN. AN EXAM DID NOT REVEAL ANY PRE-EXISTING ANOMALIES. A REVIEW OF THE AIRPLANE & ENGINE HANDBOOKS CAUTIONED AGAINST RAPID DESCENTS AT IDLE RPM TO AVOID LOW CYLINDER HEAD TEMPERATURES. THE ENGINE MANUAL NOTED THAT LONG DESCENTS AT LOW MANIFOLD PRESSURE COULD COOL THE ENGINE(S) EXCESSIVELY & RESULT IN UNSATISFACTORY ACCELERATION. THE PILOT DID NOT FEATHER THE RIGHT ENGINE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,250 hours in all; 550 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,250 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 15, 1993; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Vader Air, INC
The flight
- Departed from: SCH Schenectedy NY at 6:30 pm
- Destination: MVL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
- Observation at 6:50 pm from MPV, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.