Beech C23 accident near Dewitt, Arkansas, December 14, 1991
On December 14, 1991 at about 2:07 am local time, a Beech C23, registered N6012C, was destroyed in an accident near Dewitt, Arkansas (Dewitt Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO LAND IN IMC CONDITIONS AND HER SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF CONTROL DURING CLIMB OUT DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S DISREGARD OF THE PRE-FLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 14, 1991 · about 2:07 am local time
- Place
- Dewitt, Arkansas · Dewitt Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech C23 · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N6012C · registry record · serial M-2098
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED IN AN OPEN FIELD ABOUT 1/2 MILE SOUTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT IN A LEFT WING LOW, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. A GROUND WITNESS, WHO WAS A PILOT, STATED THAT HE HEARD THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE ACCELERATE AND ENTER A LEFT TURN JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE WITNESS LIVED ABOUT 200 YARDS FROM WHERE IMPACT OCCURRED. THE AIRPORT WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED WAS ABOUT TEN MILES SOUTH OF THE PILOT'S INTENDED DESTINATION. THE WEATHER AND LIGHT CONDITIONS AT THE TIME WERE THICK FOG WITH ABOUT 1/8 MILE VISIBILITY AND DARK NIGHT. DURING THE WEATHER BRIEFING THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED AND THAT SHE SHOULD CALL BACK PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. THE PILOT DID NOT CALL BACK. THE PILOT HAD A TOTAL OF 14 HOURS NIGHT TIME AND 3 HOURS SIMULATED INSTRUMENT TIME. IT WAS NOT DETERMINED IF THE PILOT HAD LANDED AT THE ACCIDENT AIRPORT OR IF SHE HAD JUST MADE A LOW PASS. TOTAL ETE FOR THE FLIGHT WOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT 47 MINUTES. TOTAL ELAPSED TIME FROM TAKEOFF TO THE ACCIDENT WAS 1 HOUR AND 42 MINUTES.
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: 105 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 41 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,364 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 11, 1991; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Central Flying Service, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: M89 Arkadeplphia AR
- Destination: M73 Almyra AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N6012C 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.