Beech C-90 accident near Newton, West Virginia, February 16, 1998
On February 16, 1998 at about 2:36 pm local time, a Beech C-90, registered N5WU, was destroyed in an accident near Newton, West Virginia. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot inadequate management of the fuel system which resulted in fuel starvation to both engines. Factors in the accident were the pilot's concern about maintenance being completed prior to executing a scheduled flight later in the day, and operating the airplane with known deficiencies.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 1998 · about 2:36 pm local time
- Place
- Newton, West Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech C-90 · all C-90s on the register
- Registration
- N5WU · registry record · serial LJ-635
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was flown from Morgantown to Charleston to drop off passengers. Once there, the pilot called the mechanic who was scheduled to replace the right transfer pump, and told him the right boost pump was also inoperative. The mechanic told the pilot, he would replace both pumps the next morning in Charleston. Adding that de-fueling the airplane would take longer than changing the pumps. The mechanic recalled that the pilot was concerned about the amount of time necessary for the repair. The airplane was then repositioned back to Morgantown for another flight the next day to Charleston. The morning of the accident, the airplane departed Morgantown, and was being vectored for the ILS approach to Charleston when the copilot declared an emergency. He then announced that they had 'a dual engine failure, two souls onboard and zero fuel.' Examination of the wreckage and both engines revealed no pre-impact failures or malfunctions. With the right transfer pump inoperative. 28 gallons of fuel in the right wing would be unusable. In addition, the flight manual states that 'both boost pumps must be operable prior to take-off.'
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 12,700 hours in all; 6,155 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,523 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 12, 1997; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,650 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-20A (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MGW Morgantown WV at 2:05 pm
- Destination: CRW Charleston WV
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,800 ft; scat at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:35 pm from CRW, 22 miles away
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.
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.