Beech 58 and Britten-Norman BN2A-MK3 accident near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, October 11, 1989
On October 11, 1989 at about 1:37 am local time, 2 aircraft, Beech 58 (N333TQ) and Britten-Norman BN2A-MK3 (N414WA), were involved in the same accident near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia Int'L airport). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT OF N333TQ TO TAXI AT A SPEED THAT WOULD ALLOW HIM TO STOP UNDER EXISTING CONDITIONS OF VISIBILITY AND TAXIWAY CONDITIONS.
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT OF N333TQ TO TAXI AT A SPEED THAT WOULD ALLOW HIM TO STOP UNDER EXISTING CONDITIONS OF VISIBILITY AND TAXIWAY CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 11, 1989 · about 1:37 am local time
- Place
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Philadelphia Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N333TQ · no longer on the register · serial TH507
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Britten-Norman BN2A-MK3 · all BN2A-MK3s on the register
- Registration
- N414WA · no longer on the register · serial 1034
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative for the Beech 58 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BN-2A TRISLANDER, N414WA, WAS HOLDING ON A TAXIWAY AWAITING DEPARTURE, WHEN THE BEECH 58, N333TQ STRUCK IT FROM BEHIND. THERE WAS LIGHT DRIZZLE FALLING AND THE WINDSHEILD OF THE BARON DOES NOT HAVE WINDSHEILD WIPERS. THE PILOT OF THE BARON SAID WHEN HE SAW THE TRISLANDER ILLUMINATED BY HIS LANDING LIGHTS THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT DISTANCE TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO CONTACT.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Britten-Norman BN2A-MK3 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BN-2A TRISLANDER, N414WA, WAS HOLDING ON A TAXIWAY AWAITING DEPARTURE, WHEN THE BEECH 58, N333TQ, STRUCK IT FROM BEHIND. THERE WAS LIGHT DRIZZLE FALLING AND THE WINDSHIELD OF THE BARON DOES NOT HAVE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THE PILOT OF THE BARON SAID WHEN HE SAW THE TRISLANDER ILLUMINATED BY HIS LANDING LIGHTS THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT DISTANCE TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO CONTACT.
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 for the Beech 58 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,900 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 170 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,835 as pilot in command; 1,430 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,474 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 26, 1989; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Congressional Air Limited
The flight
- Departed from: IAD Washington DC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from PHL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Britten-Norman BN2A-MK3 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,500 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 3,200 as pilot in command; 300 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,438 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 28, 1989; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,000 lb
- Seats: 18
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pennsylvania Aviation INC
The flight
- Destination: N67 Bluebell PA
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N333TQ 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.