Beech 95-B55 accident near Smithfield, Pennsylvania, September 22, 1990
On September 22, 1990 at about 10:26 pm local time, a Beech 95-B55, registered N9UP, was destroyed in an accident near Smithfield, Pennsylvania. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF BOTH PILOTS TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL WHILE CONDUCTING TRAINING MANEUVERS AT AN ALTITUDE THAT PRECLUDED A SAFE RECOVERY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 1990 · about 10:26 pm local time
- Place
- Smithfield, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-B55 · all 95-B55s on the register
- Registration
- N9UP · registry record · serial TC-1273
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIOR TO DEPARTURE WITNESSES HEARD THE PILOTS DISCUSSING THE POSSIBILITY OF CONDUCTING PILOT TRAINING. LESS THAN 6 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED IN A DIVE TO GROUND IMPACT. THE SOUND OF THE ENGINE(S) WAS CHANGING. THE LEFT ENGINE MAGNETO SWITCH WAS FOUND IN THE OFF POSITION. TEARDOWN EXAMINATIONS OF BOTH ENGINES DID NOT REVEAL ANY DISCREPANCIES. THE OTHER PILOT HELD A COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATE WITH AIRPLANE SINGLE AND MULTI-ENGINE LAND, INSTRUMENT, AND FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (AIRPLANE SINGLE-ENGINE) RATINGS.
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, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,300 hours in all; 7,100 as pilot in command; 2,600 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Great American Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: MGW Morgantown WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Observation at 11:50 pm from MGW, 9 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC90FA226.