Beech 77 accident near Hendersonville, North Carolina, September 13, 1995
On September 13, 1995 at about 7:55 pm local time, a Beech 77, registered N6721D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hendersonville, North Carolina (Hendersonville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO PERFORM PREFLIGHT WEIGHT AND BALANCE CALCULATIONS RESULTING IN THE AIRPLANE EXCEEDING THE MAXIMUM GROSS TAKEOFF WEIGHT LIMITATIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 1995 · about 7:55 pm local time
- Place
- Hendersonville, North Carolina · Hendersonville
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 77 · all 77s on the register
- Registration
- N6721D · no longer on the register · serial WA-84
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED HE DID NOT COMPUTE THE AIRPLANE WEIGHT AND BALANCE NOR DO ANY PREFLIGHT PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS. ON TAKEOFF THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE NOR CLIMB. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED INTO TREES AND THE GROUND. POSTACCIDENT CALCULATIONS REVEALED THE AIRPLANE WAS 260 POUNDS OVER MAXIMUM GROSS TAKEOFF WEIGHT LIMITATIONS.
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: 2,027 hours in all; 234 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,130 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 26, 1995; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OA7 at 7:54 pm
- Destination: 5N4 Lincolntown NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 3,075 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from AVL, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.