Beech A24R accident near Richmond, Minnesota, November 22, 1989
On November 22, 1989 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Beech A24R, registered N8074R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Richmond, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER USE OF THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR BY THE PILOT AND HIS IMPROPER USE OF EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION AFTER A FUEL TANK HAD EMPTIED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: INOPERATIVE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES, PILOT'S OPERATION WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES IN THE AIRCRAFT, DARK NIGHT, TOTAL LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER, AND LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 1989 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Richmond, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A24R · all A24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N8074R · registry record · serial MC-43
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHEN THE X-COUNTRY BEGAN, THE VACUUM SYS & COMM RADIOS WERE INOP, BUT OTHERWISE, THE INITIAL LEG OF THE FLT WAS NORMAL. THE PLT CHECKED THAT THE ACFT LGTS WERE OPERG FOR THE RTRN FLT, BUT HE NOTED THE FUEL GAUGES INDCD EMPTY (ALTHOUGH THE ACFT HAD BEEN FULLY SVCD WITH FUEL). AT ABT SUNSET ON THE RTRN FLT, THE ELECTRICAL SYS BCM INOP & THE NORMAL LNDG GEAR EXTN SYS & FLAPS WOULD NOT OPERATE. ABOUT 15 MIN LATER, AS THE ACFT WAS NEARING ITS DESTN, THE ENG LOST POWER & THE PLT MANUALLY EXTENDED THE LNDG GEAR, USING HIS FLASHLIGHT TO MONITOR THE AIRSPEED. THE PLT STATED THAT HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR & TRIED TO RESTART THE ENG, BUT WAS UNABLE. SUBSEQUENTLY, A CRASH LNDG WAS MADE AT THE TOP OF A RIVER BANK AT NIGHT. DRG AN INVESTIGATION, THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED TO AN EMPTY TANK & THE OTHER TANK STILL CONTAINED USABLE FUEL. THE PLT HAD ACCUMULATED ABT 7 HRS OF FLT TIME IN THIS MAKE & MODEL OF ACFT, ALL ON THE DAY OF THE ACDNT.
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: 110 hours in all; 7 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,763 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 22, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SPF Spearfish SD at 9:00 pm
- Destination: STC St Cloud MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 330° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 12°F (-11°C), dew point 3°F (-16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from STC, 10 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.
Other NTSB records under N8074R the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.