Beech 95-B55 accident near Xenia, Ohio, July 31, 2001
On July 31, 2001 at about 12:40 pm local time, a Beech 95-B55, registered N727AF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Xenia, Ohio (Wright-Patterson Afb airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering, which resulted in an inadvertent spin.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 2001 · about 12:40 pm local time
- Place
- Xenia, Ohio · Wright-Patterson Afb · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-B55 · all 95-B55s on the register
- Registration
- N727AF · no longer on the register · serial TF-49
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to radar data, the training flight departed about 0820, flew south and climbed to 6,000 feet msl. While the airplane was maneuvering about 20 minutes later, it descended and stabilized at 5,400 feet. However, the airspeed decreased to about 60 KIAS, and the airplane entered a rapid descent in a near-vertical flight path. About 0840, witnesses near the accident site observed the airplane in a flat spin prior to ground impact. The training syllabus for the respective lesson included the following topics: Maneuvering at Critically Slow Airspeed; Emergency Operations (Engine-Out); and Maneuvering with One Engine Inoperative. Additionally, review of the flight instructor's daily planner for that lesson revealed, "Hold, Stalls, Short T/O/Landing." Review of a Beech B55 manual revealed that the minimum speed for direction controllability with one engine out was 78 KIAS.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,956 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 291 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 2,882 as pilot in command; 1,759 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 6, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 395 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 360 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 17, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,161 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 18, 2001; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental IO-470 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental IO-470 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wright Patterson Afb Aero Club
The flight
- Departed from: FFO Dayton OH at 12:28 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23R, 12,601 ft by 300 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 1 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from FFO, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.