Beech C 50 accident near Honesdale, Pennsylvania, April 18, 2015
On April 18, 2015 at about 2:30 pm local time, a 1955 Beech C 50, registered N38MM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Honesdale, Pennsylvania (Cherry Ridge airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to stop the airplane on the runway during landing, resulting in an overrun, landing gear collapse and substantial damage to the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 18, 2015 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Honesdale, Pennsylvania · Cherry Ridge · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C 50 NO SERIES, built 1955 · all C 50s on the register
- Registration
- N38MM · registry record · serial CH-297
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to an FAA inspector, he was investigating the report of a twin-engine airplane that overrun the end of the runway during landing. He said the nose landing gear had collapsed. He identified the pilot, but was unable to obtain statement from him. It is unknown if the pilot experienced any mechanical anomalies with the airplane. According to the FAA inspector who examined the airplane, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the landing gear support structure when the landing gear collapsed. The pilot has not responded to contact attempts by the FAA inspector or the National Transportation Safety Board investigator, and has not submitted an NTSB form 6120, Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Wet/muddy › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land
- Flight time: 100 hours in all; 10 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming GO-480-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming GO-480-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WBW Wilkes-Barre PA
- Destination: N30 Honesdale PA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 36, 2,986 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:15 pm from KMSV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.