Beech B-60 accident near Detroit, Michigan, May 4, 1983
On May 4, 1983 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Beech B-60, registered N821BE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Detroit, Michigan (Detroit City airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 1983 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Detroit, Michigan · Detroit City
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B-60 · all B-60s on the register
- Registration
- N821BE · registry record · serial P-593
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER PARKED AND UNOCCUPIED ACFT WHILE PARKING. THE TAIL OF THE MOVING BEECHCRAFT WAS DAMAGED SUBSTANTIALLY. DAMAGE TO THE PARKED ACFT WAS MINOR. THE WEATHER WAS VMC BUT A LIGHT RAIN WAS FALLING.
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: 578 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 138 in the last 90 days; 371 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 34 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 6,775 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-541-E1C4 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FRG Farmingdale NY at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from DET
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.
Other NTSB records under N821BE the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.