Beech A100 accident near Cedarville, New Jersey, February 2, 1985
On February 2, 1985 at about 2:47 am local time, a Beech A100, registered N72BS, was destroyed in an accident near Cedarville, New Jersey (Milville Municipal airport). It was a positioning 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 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
- February 2, 1985 · about 2:47 am local time
- Place
- Cedarville, New Jersey · Milville Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech A100 · all A100s on the register
- Registration
- N72BS · no longer on the register · serial B-113
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TWO ATP RATED PLTS WERE EN ROUTE BACK TO THEIR HOME BASE ARPT FLYING ON AN IFR FLT PLAN IN ACTUAL INSTRUMENT WX CONDITIONS. COMMUNICATIONS WITH ATC CONTROLLERS WAS NORMAL. DURING A NIGHT LOCALIZER APCH INTO MILLVILLE MUNICIPAL ARPT, AN ATC SPECIALIST OBSERVED THE ACFT PASSING THROUGH THE LOCALIZER TRACK AND ISSUED A VECTOR FOR RE-INTERCEPTION. THE ACFT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY OBSERVED TRACKING INBOUND ON COURSE. THE PLT REPORTED CROSSING THE OM. THIS WAS THE LAST TRANSMISSION HEARD FROM THE PLT AND WAS ROUTINE. THE ACFT CRASHED INTO A WOODED AREA JUST BEYOND THE OM AND WAS DESTROYED IN A POST IMPACT FIRE. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED EVIDENCE TO INDICATE THE LEFT ENG WAS PRODUCING LESS PWR THAN THE RIGHT ENG AT IMPACT.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,300 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 17,126 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,668 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 31, 1985; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,500 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-28 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 3J1 Ridgeland SC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 10, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from MIV
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.
Other NTSB records under N72BS 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.