Beech C24R accident near Grindstone, Pennsylvania, July 18, 2002
On July 18, 2002 at about 10:42 pm local time, a Beech C24R, registered N18860, was destroyed in an accident near Grindstone, Pennsylvania (Washington County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision resulting in flight into adverse weather, and his failure to maintain aircraft control resulting in overstress of aircraft. A factor was the thunderstorm activity.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 2002 · about 10:42 pm local time
- Place
- Grindstone, Pennsylvania · Washington County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech C24R · all C24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N18860 · no longer on the register · serial MC-512
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was diverting around thunderstorm activity and had reported experiencing "severe turbulence." About 4 minutes later, the airplane began a descending left turn from about 4,700 feet. The airplane was observed at 4,400 feet and then 9 seconds later the airplane disappeared from radar, at an altitude of 3,100 feet. Witnesses reported observing parts separating from the airplane, prior to impact. Examination of the wreckage, which was scattered about 1/2 mile, did not reveal any pre-impact malfunctions. Convective Sigmets and a center weather advisory for thunderstorm activity were in effect for the area and provided to the pilot by air traffic control. Cloud tops in the area of the accident site were about 26,000 feet, with cloud tops about 40,000 feet, 11 miles north of the accident site.
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: 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: 4,312 hours in all; 42 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 4,022 as pilot in command; 2,907 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 20, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,490 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 2001; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B66 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LWM Lawrence MA at 6:50 pm
- Destination: AFJ Washington PA
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 12 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; scat at 200 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from AFJ, 27 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.