Beech B55 accident near N. Haverhill, New Hampshire, July 3, 1984
On July 3, 1984 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Beech B55, registered N8101R, was destroyed in an accident near N. Haverhill, New Hampshire (Dean Memorial airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 1984 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- N. Haverhill, New Hampshire · Dean Memorial
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B55 · all B55s on the register
- Registration
- N8101R · no longer on the register · serial TC 1257
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A FRIEND WHO OBSERVED THE PLT PREFLIGHTING THE ACFT SAW HIM DRAIN FUEL FROM THE SUMPS TO CHECK FOR WATER. HOWEVER, HE DID NOT SEE THE PLT CHECK THE FUEL LEVEL IN THE TANKS. THE PLT TAXIED TO THE RWY, PERFORMED AN ENG RUN-UP & TOOK OFF. SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF, WITNESSES NOTED A LOSS OF ENG POWER. THE ACFT THEN DESCENDED IN A LEFT TURN & COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND LESS THAN 1 MI FROM THE ARPT. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT DISCLOSED A TOTAL OF ABOUT 1 GAL OF FUEL ABOARD. APRX 1 GAL WAS FOUND IN THE LEFT MAIN & AUX TANKS. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE RIGHT MAIN & AUX TANKS. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE LEFT WING, BUT AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT OF FUEL HAD LEAKED FROM THE RIGHT TANKS. THE LEFT FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED TO THE LEFT MAIN TANK; THE RIGHT SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT AUX TANK. THE ACFT WAS PLACARDED FOR TAKEOFF BY USING THE MAIN TANKS ONLY. ME TOX CHECK SHOWED BLOOD/ALCOHOL LVL: 0.148%, VITREOUS/ALCOHOL LVL:0.003%; HOWEVER, FAA TESTS WERE NEGATIVE FOR ALCOHOL IN BLOOD & URINE; NH STATE TEST SHOWED LESS THAN 0.01% IN BLOOD.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,400 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,827 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 16, 1983; 157 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5B5 at 4:50 pm
- Destination: 5B5 Bennington VT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 2,500 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:57 pm from LEB, 30 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.
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.