Beech 95 accident near Killdeer, North Dakota, September 11, 1991
On September 11, 1991 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Beech 95, registered N393B, was destroyed in an accident near Killdeer, North Dakota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DISREGARDING THE WEATHER FORECAST; HIS IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT DECISION TO CONTINUE A VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS; AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM TERRAIN. THE MOUNTAINOUS HILLY TERRAIN AND LOW CEILING WERE FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 1991 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Killdeer, North Dakota
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95 · all 95s on the register
- Registration
- N393B · registry record · serial TD-5
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PILOT WITH OVER 17,000 HOURS FLIGHT TIME RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEF WHICH REPORTED LOW CEILINGS ALONG HIS PLANNED ROUTE OF FLIGHT, AND VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. HE ELECTED TO GO VFR AND DID NOT FILE A FLIGHT PLAN. LOW CEILINGS WERE RIGHT WHERE THE WEATHER BRIEFER SAID THEY WERE REPORTED TO BE, AND THEY WERE OBSCURING THE TOP OF A MOUNTAIN. THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN ABOUT 100 FEET BELOW THE CREST.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 17,000 hours in all; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,590 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 18, 1991; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 95D Beulah ND at 3:00 pm
- Destination: MLK Malta MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N393B 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.