Beech B19 accident near Thomasville, Pennsylvania, August 30, 2009
On August 30, 2009 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Beech B19, registered N6982R, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern base) near Thomasville, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power due to a partial blockage of the carburetor fuel inlet filter.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 2009 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Thomasville, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B19 · all B19s on the register
- Registration
- N6982R · no longer on the register · serial MB-752
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, during the preflight inspection, he checked the full fuel tanks for water at all three access points, with none found. The engine ran smoothly during taxi, run up and takeoff, but "stumbled" upon level off. The pilot switched tanks, "checked" the carburetor heat, and found that the engine only smoothed out when he added full power. The pilot decided to return to the airport, and during the base leg, the engine lost all power, resulting in a forced landing in a cornfield. A postflight examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed no obvious mechanical anomalies with the physical components of the engine. However, when he examined the carburetor fuel inlet filter, the inspector found it about 75 percent blocked with particulate matter consisting of large quantities of rust, insect remains, and sand. A restriction of this amount would significantly effect the engine's ability to operate at lower power settings and could result in a total loss of engine power.
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
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach (VFR pattern base) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel filter › strainer › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 293 hours in all; 147 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,597 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 28, 2009; 14 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: THV York PA
- Destination: THV York PA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.