Beech 24R accident near Wauseon, Ohio, May 11, 2003
On May 11, 2003 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Beech 24R, registered N4347W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wauseon, Ohio (Fulton County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots failure to maintain control during the approach-to-landing. Factors were the high wind gusts and turbulence, and the pilot's decision to fly in those conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 2003 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Wauseon, Ohio · Fulton County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 24R
- Registration
- N4347W · no longer on the register · serial MC-276
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane departed on a VFR cross country flight from Michigan to Minnesota during high wind conditions. Less than an hour later, the pilot unsuccessfully attempted to land at an airport in Ohio. A review of the last 2 1/2 minutes of radar data revealed that as the airplane tracked toward runway 27, it descended from 1,900 feet msl to 900 feet msl (about 120 feet agl), and decelerated to a ground speed of 68 knots. Prior to the flight, the pilot had utilized a computer weather reporting system. At the time of the accident, the National Weather Service had issued an urgent message, which stated: "An intense low pressure system over the upper Great Lakes will cause strong southwest to west winds across southern Michigan...northern Indiana...and northwest Ohio today. Winds will be sustained at 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 45 to 55 mph much of the day. The wind conditions at the airport, at the time of the accident, were from the west-southwest between 30-40 mph, gusting to 40-50 mph. Runway 27 was 3,882 feet long and 75 feet wide, with 80-foot trees located on the north and south sides of the first third of it. The trees on the north side of the runway were about 200 feet from runway centerline, while the trees on the south side of the runway were about 550 feet from runway centerline. The airport manager described the turbulence between the two sections of trees as a "terrible, terrible funnel effect...with lots of rolling wind."
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,113 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: October 15, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,647.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 20, 2002; 92.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7DZ Troy MI at 6:15 pm
- Destination: USE Wauseon OH
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 33 knots, gusting 45
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,500 ft; scat at 4,200 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.50 inHg
- Observation at 6:52 pm from TOL, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.