Beechcraft BE58 accident near Deridder, Louisiana, January 26, 2024
On January 26, 2024 at about 11:55 pm local time, a 1982 Beechcraft BE58, registered N811CW, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Deridder, Louisiana (Chennault International Airpor airport). 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
The pilot’s encounter with heavy rain, hail, and severe turbulence associated with a thunderstorm, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 26, 2024 · about 11:55 pm local time
- Place
- Deridder, Louisiana · Chennault International Airpor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beechcraft BE58, built 1982
- Registration
- N811CW · registry record · serial TH-1351
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had flown the reverse route earlier in the day and was on the return flight in night instrument meteorological conditions when the accident occurred. The airplane sustained substantial damage when it encountered a thunderstorm that contained heavy rain, severe turbulence, and hail during cruise flight. The pilot landed the airplane without further incident. The pilot was aware of the weather front along his route of flight and was monitoring it using Next-Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) imagery delivered via XM Satellite during his flight. The pilot was also communicating with air traffic control to establish a route between weather cells with high to extreme precipitation. When asked by air traffic control if he had weather radar on board, the pilot responded that he did. The pilot had NEXRAD weather imagery, which has a time lag from when the image is created to when it is displayed to the pilot. NEXRAD is not an airborne weather radar system, which would have provided real time weather information. It is likely that the controller, based on the pilot’s response, believed the pilot could see the weather in real time verses the latency involved in using NEXRAD imagery. This information likely affected the controller’s suggestions to the pilot regarding possible routes through the weather front. Although he was aware of the time lag in images, it is likely that the pilot did not fully appreciate the actual lag time of the weather imagery he was using to make his route choices.
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
- Turbulence encounter during enroute (cruise)
- Windshear or thunderstorm during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Convective turbulence › Effect on equipment
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 30,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,678 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 6, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental IO-550-C1F (piston); 1,250 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental IO-550-C1F (piston); 1,250 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KABI Abilene TX
- Destination: KIYA Abbeville LA
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 070° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 400 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from KDRI, 18 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KDRI 262355Z AUTO 07008KT 9SM -RA VCTS BKN004 OVC011 17/17 A2995 RMK AO2 CIG 004V006 P0000 T01650165 $=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Accident airplane damage
Photograph 2 – Damage to front of airplane
Photograph 3 – Left wing damageThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
12 documents, released by the NTSB on February 20, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Illustrations | PDF, 12 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Record of Conversation - Wolf, Ronald | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Transcript of Radio Communications | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Audio File | audio | View Download |
| 7 | ADS-B Data | spreadsheet | Download |
| 8 | Meteorology Factual | PDF, 49 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Meteorology Attachment 1 - GOES-16 Infrared Satellite Animation | GIF file | Download |
| 10 | Meteorology Attachment 2 - GOES-16 Infrared Satellite Animation with Lightning | GIF file | Download |
| 11 | Meteorology Attachment 3 - Lake Charles WSR-88D Animation | AVI file | Download |
| 12 | Meteorology Attachment 4 - Xm Weather radar Imagery | PDF, 14 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.