Beech 95 accident near Chesterfield, Missouri, February 6, 1994
On February 6, 1994 at about 6:21 pm local time, a Beech 95, registered N9903R, was destroyed in an accident near Chesterfield, Missouri (Spirit Of St Louis airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
incorrect installation of the fuel selector valves during mandatory service bulletin modification which resulted in fuel starvation to both engines and failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain aircraft control during emergency descent. A factor was inadequate quality control prior to publication of the mandatory service bulletin.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 6, 1994 · about 6:21 pm local time
- Place
- Chesterfield, Missouri · Spirit Of St Louis · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95 · all 95s on the register
- Registration
- N9903R · no longer on the register · serial TD-389
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON DOWNWIND TO LAND, BOTH ENGINES LOST POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT MAINTAINED AND THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED IN AN OPEN CLEARING AT A STEEP ANGLE. THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE HANDLES INDICATED OPPOSITE (180 DEGREES OUT) OF THE ACTUAL FUEL VALVE POSITION SELECTED. NO FUEL WAS EVIDENT IN THE LEFT AUXILIARY TANK AND THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF FUEL IN THE OTHER 3 TANKS. NO INDICATION OF FUEL OR PROPELLER ROTATION WAS FOUND AT THE LEFT ENGINE. FUEL AND SOME ROTATION WAS EVIDENT AT THE RIGHT ENGINE. NEITHER PROP WAS FEATHERED, FLAPS WERE UP AND LANDING GEAR WAS DOWN. THE MANDATORY SERVICE BULLETIN (MSB) RECENTLY INSTALLED INVOLVING THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE HANDLES COULD NOT BE PERFORMED AS PER THE INSTRUCTIONS. THE MECHANIC MODIFIED THE KIT PROCEDURES, RESULTING IN THE SELECTOR HANDLES BEING INSTALLED OPPOSITE OF THE FUEL PORT POSITION.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 531 hours in all; 175 in this make and model; 340 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,148 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1993; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cy Aviation Leasing, INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26L
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from SUS, 2 miles away
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.
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.