Beech BE-23-24 accident near Kingston, Ohio, October 21, 2000
On October 21, 2000 at about 2:38 am local time, a Beech BE-23-24, registered N7951L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kingston, Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to check both fuel tanks visually during the preflight inspection. A factor in the accident was the dark night.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 2000 · about 2:38 am local time
- Place
- Kingston, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-23-24
- Registration
- N7951L · no longer on the register · serial MA-127
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane departed, and flew 54 minutes on a cross country flight before landing. Without refueling, the airplane departed for the return trip. 1 hour and 2 minutes into the flight home, the pilot reported a rough running engine and a loss of power. The airplane impacted a four-lane-interstate highway. On a standard day, the airplane would use 9.1 gph of fuel at 63 percent power and 6,500 feet. At 75 percent power, the airplane would use 12.3 gph. Witnesses reported that the day before the accident, the aircraft had 7.5 gallons in the left tank and 15 gallons in the right tank. The airplane was then flown 1.3 hours. After the flight, the airplane was not serviced until just before the accident flight when 13.2 gallons of fuel was added. The pilot's operating handbook requires the pilot to visually check the fuel quantity for both tanks during the preflight inspection. Examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact failures or malfunctions. In addition, exanimation of the engine revealed evidence consistent with fuel starvation.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,491 hours in all; 2,364 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,133 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 31, 2000; 873 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BKL Cleveland OH at 1:30 am
- Destination: OSU Columbus OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 pm from CMH, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.