Beech D-45 accident near Minden, Louisiana, April 6, 2002
On April 6, 2002 at about 9:33 pm local time, a Beech D-45, registered N6VY, was substantially damaged in an accident near Minden, Louisiana (Minden-Webster 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
The private pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during a go-around. Contributing factors were the private pilot's impairment due to drugs, the pilot-rated passenger's lack of experience in the airplane, and the prevailing gusty crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 2002 · about 9:33 pm local time
- Place
- Minden, Louisiana · Minden-Webster · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D-45 · all D-45s on the register
- Registration
- N6VY · no longer on the register · serial BG221
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted wooded terrain west of the runway following an uncontrolled descent from a go-around from runway 01. Strong gusty winds (15 to 25 knots) from the east prevailed at the airport at the time of the accident. The private pilot, who occupied the front seat, had accumulated a total of 1,012.3 hours in the accident airplane. The pilot rated passenger, who occupied the aft seat, had accumulated a total of 321.5 hours, with none in the accident airplane. Review of the private pilot's personal and FAA medical records indicated that he had an essential tremor, a condition that caused his head and hands to shake noticeably, and not associated with any other disease. He continued to have progressive symptoms even on medications. He had an episode of unusual behavior, possibly related to his medications, in 1996 which occurred during operation of an aircraft. At the time of the accident, the private pilot was on fairly large doses of diazepam and propanolol to treat his essential tremor, medications which he did not note on his most recent application for a medical certificate in 2000 . The FAA medical records indicated that the FAA did not consider the private pilot medically qualified in 1996 and in 2000. Toxicological tests for the private pilot were positive for: diazepam (0.393 ug/ml) and its metabolites in blood and for propanolol in the blood and liver. Diazepam and its metabolites have substantial adverse effects on judgment, alertness, and performance. The pilot, in fact, complained of sedation from the diazepam, and adverse performance effects would be expected at the levels used. Propanolol which lowers blood pressure and reduces heart rate response to stress, may result in dizziness, fatigue, and decreased G-tolerance, particularly at high doses. The private pilot was impaired from the diazepam, possibly from propanolol, and possibly from his essential tremor. No evidence of uncorrected discrepancies was found in the maintenance records. No evidence of an in-flight mechanical and/or flight control malfunction was found that would have rendered the airplane uncontrollable prior to the impact.
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
- Flight time: 1,012 hours in all; 1,012 in this make and model; 901 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 322 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 284 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 5, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,251.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-0-470-4 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F24 Minden LA at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 5,001 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW02FA113.