Beech 35 accident near Frisco, North Carolina, September 6, 1993
On September 6, 1993 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Beech 35, registered N88V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Frisco, North Carolina (Billy Mitchell airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED (VSO) RESULTING IN A STALL/MUSH. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE NEAR TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO SEPARATION OF ONE OF THE TWO COUNTERWEIGHTS FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 1993 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Frisco, North Carolina · Billy Mitchell · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35 · all 35s on the register
- Registration
- N88V · no longer on the register · serial D1344
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKEOFF ABOUT 250 FEET MSL, THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED NEAR TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT INITIATED A TURN TO LAND ON A BEACH BUT IT WAS NOT SUITABLE. HE THEN INITIATED A TURN TO LAND DOWNWIND BUT THE AIRPLANE STALLED WHEN THE FLIGHT WAS ABOUT 100 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE RUNWAY NOSE AND LEFT WING LOW WHICH COLLAPSED THE NOSE AND LEFT MAIN LANDING GEARS. EXAMINATION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT ONE OF THE TWO COUNTERWEIGHTS SEPARATED FROM THE CRANKSHAFT FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. THE AIRCRAFT, ENGINE, AND PROPELLER LOGBOOKS WERE NOT LOCATED. THE OWNER STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS OVERHAULED IN JAN. OR FEB. 1993 BY AN A & P MECHANIC WHO HAS INSPECTION AUTHORIZATION. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED ABOUT 100 HOURS SINCE OVERHAUL. REVIEW OF PAPERWORK PROVIDED BY THE PILOT REVEALED THAT COUNTERWEIGHT HARDWARE ( TWO EA LOCK RINGS, FOUR EA PINS, & EIGHT EA BUSHINGS) WAS ORDERED AND SHIPPED TO PRECISION ENGINE IN WASHINGTON, NC, ON FEB. 1, 1993.
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: 1,100 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 1,100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,025 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 13, 1993; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-185-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: ACZ Wallace NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from MQI, 42 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.