Beech 36 accident near Georgetown, Delaware, August 26, 1994
On August 26, 1994 at about 4:52 pm local time, a Beech 36, registered N15512, was substantially damaged in an accident near Georgetown, Delaware (Sussex County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE ISSUANCE OF A NOTAM WITH INADEQUATE INFORMATION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT, AND THE LACK OF VISUAL CUES CONCERNING THE CONSTRUCTION BARRIER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 1994 · about 4:52 pm local time
- Place
- Georgetown, Delaware · Sussex County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 36 · all 36s on the register
- Registration
- N15512 · registry record · serial E-2486
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE LANDING ROLL ON RUNWAY 22, THE PILOT NOTICED AN OBSTRUCTION (ROW OF RAILROAD TIES) THAT HAD BEEN PLACED ON THE RUNWAY AS A CONSTRUCTION BARRIER. SHE APPLIED BRAKES, BUT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRPLANE BEFORE IT COLLIDED WITH THE BARRIER. AN FAA INSPECTOR STATED THE AIRPLANE HAD TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 3000 FEET DOWN THE 5000 FOOT LONG RUNWAY. THE CONSTRUCTION BARRIER WAS LOCATED 1250 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY GIVING IT AN EFFECTIVE LENGTH OF 3750 FEET. A NOTAM STATED ONLY THAT THE THRESHOLD FOR RUNWAY 4 WAS DISPLACED 1250 FEET. THE PILOT HAD OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING FOR AN IFR FLIGHT, BUT STATED THAT SHE DID NOT RECEIVE NOTAM INFORMATION ABOUT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. ALSO, SHE SAID THAT THERE WERE NO DISPLACED THRESHOLD MARKINGS AND THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO SEE ANY OBSTRUCTION FROM THE AIR.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 807 hours in all; 305 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 697 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 1994; 808 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,650 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TYS Knoxville TN at 1:45 pm
- Destination: GED DE
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 22, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from SBY, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.