Beech 95-A55 accident near Millville, New Jersey, August 29, 2012
On August 29, 2012 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Beech 95-A55, registered N71BM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Millville, New Jersey (Millville Municipal Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot receiving instruction failed to maintain airplane control during the simulated engine-out landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's failure to take timely remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 2012 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Millville, New Jersey · Millville Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-A55 · all 95-A55s on the register
- Registration
- N71BM · registry record · serial TC-280
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot receiving instruction was conducting a simulated engine-out emergency landing when the accident occurred. Several eyewitnesses reported that the airplane began to roll to the left while it was in flight. One eyewitness reported hearing the airplane's engines increase in power. During postaccident interviews, the flight instructor stated that the left engine was at the idle power setting to simulate the engine failure for landing; however, he could not recall the events that took place during the accident sequence. Examination of the airframe and engines revealed no anomalies or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Review of the private pilot’s medical history revealed nothing to suggest a medical cause for impairment or incapacitation. Therefore, it is likely that during the landing flare, the pilot receiving instruction added power to the right engine and failed to properly compensate for the increased asymmetrical thrust, which resulted in a loss of control.
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
- Simulated/training event during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,730 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 94 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 2,588 as pilot in command; 670 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 24, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 217 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 124 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 23, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,814 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor IO-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor IO-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: XLL Allentown NJ at 5:10 pm
- Destination: VAY Mt. Holly NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 5,058 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from MIV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 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.