Beech G33 accident near Warsaw, Ohio, April 16, 2018
On April 16, 2018 at about 10:30 am local time, a 1971 Beech G33, registered N9345Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Warsaw, Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to continue flight in known icing conditions, which resulted in structural icing, degraded airplane performance, and a subsequent loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to obtain an official weather briefing before departure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 2018 · about 10:30 am local time
- Place
- Warsaw, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech G33, built 1971 · all G33s on the register
- Registration
- N9345Q · no longer on the register · serial CD-1269
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot departed on an instrument flight rules cross-country flight in the single-engine airplane that was not certificated for flight in icing conditions. During cruise flight at 4,000 ft mean sea level (msl), the pilot reported to air traffic control that the airplane was accumulating airframe icing and requested and was cleared to descend to 3,000 ft msl. As the airplane descended, the pilot indicated to the controller that the airplane had descended below the clouds, was in temperatures greater than 32°F, and that the airframe icing was "clearing up"; however, the airplane continued to descend and subsequently impacted terrain. First responders discovered pieces of ice at the accident site that displayed a curvature consistent with the leading edge of a wing or horizontal stabilizer. Examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. There was no evidence that the pilot received an official weather briefing before the flight, which would have indicated the potential for moderate or greater icing conditions between 3,000 and 15,000 ft msl. It could not be determined if the pilot received any weather information from other sources. Review of additional weather information indicated the possibility of supercooled large droplet (SLD) icing in the area of the accident site about the time of the accident. It is likely that the structural icing accumulated during the flight resulted in the pilot's inability to maintain airspeed and/or altitude, leading to a loss of control.
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
What happened, in order
- Other weather encounter during enroute (cruise)
- Structural icing during enroute (cruise)
- Loss of lift during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Effect on equipment
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Attain/maintain not possible
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,300 hours in all; 500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 1G1 Elyria OH
- Destination: DED Deland FL
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,300 ft; scat at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.67 inHg
- Observation at 10:36 am from K4I3, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN18FA143.