Beech F33A accident near Conway, South Carolina, May 29, 2002
On May 29, 2002 at about 9:38 pm local time, a Beech F33A, registered N858KS, was destroyed in an accident near Conway, South Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to request in-flight weather avoidance assistance and his poor in-flight planning/decision for flying into a Level 5 thunderstorm resulting in an in-flight loss of control, uncontrolled descent, and subsequent in-flight collision with trees and terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 2002 · about 9:38 pm local time
- Place
- Conway, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech F33A · all F33As on the register
- Registration
- N858KS · no longer on the register · serial CE-1727
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On the day of the accident about 25 minutes before the flight departed the pilot phoned the Raleigh AFSS, and filed his IFR flight plan. During the phone call the briefing specialist (specialist) asked the pilot if he had Convective Sigmet 47E, which was covered the departure airport and was issued approximately 10 minutes earlier. The pilot advised the specialist he had the information about the sigmet, but he did not need any weather services. There was no record that the pilot obtained a preflight weather briefing from the 2 DUAT vendors. Additionally, the departure airport had a computer with access to weather but it does not record who accessed the computer and there was no records found in the wreckage associated with the computer printout. The flight departed, and shortly after takeoff air traffic control communications were transferred from the air traffic control tower to Myrtle Beach Air Traffic Control Tower. The pilot established contact with that facility and the controller questioned why the pilot was deviating without clearance. The controller asked the pilot if he could accept a northerly heading and he advised he could not. The controller vectored the pilot to fly a south-southwesterly heading for traffic which the pilot acknowledged. The controller then advised the pilot that after climbing through 2,600 feet to resume his own navigation. The flight then proceeded on a northwesterly heading where radar plots indicate that at the altitude flown, the flight encountered VIP Level 5 (intense) echoes. The airplane was observed on radar in a right descending turn and crashed into a wooded area. The average rate of descent was calculated to be 4,085 feet-per-minute. A search for the airplane was initiated and it was located the following morning. The airplane was equipped with a stormscope and a moving map display with monochromatic weather depiction. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of in-flight break-up. All major structural components were located in the immediate vicinity of the accident site. The flaps were nearly retracted and the landing gear was retracted. Examination of the flight control system for roll, pitch, and yaw revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. Examination of the engine and propeller revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. No specimens were available for a FAA Toxicology screen. Examination of the vacuum pump which was impact damaged revealed the drive coupling was not failed.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,401.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 2, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KCRE North Myrtlebch SC at 9:30 pm
- Destination: KIPJ Lincolnton NC
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; a few clouds at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from KCRE, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.