Beech BE-23 accident near West Milford, New Jersey, June 24, 1990
On June 24, 1990 at about 7:25 pm local time, a Beech BE-23, registered N3674Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Milford, New Jersey (Greenwood Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT WHILE MAKING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 1990 · about 7:25 pm local time
- Place
- West Milford, New Jersey · Greenwood Lake
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-23
- Registration
- N3674Q · no longer on the register · serial MA265
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT PLANNED ON A 4 HOUR CROSSCOUNTRY FLIGHT WITH 60 GALLONS OF FUEL. AFTER 2 HOURS OF FLIGHT, HE REMAINED OVERNIGHT AND UPON DEPARTURE DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL TANKS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. AFTER LESS THAN 4 HOURS OF FLIGHT HE LOST POWER IN THE TAFFIC PATTERN, TRIED TO SLIP TO THE RUNWAY AND JUST ABOVE THE RUNWAY, THE ENGINE SURGED FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN QUIT AGAIN. HE LANDED LONG AND RAN OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY INTO TREES.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 300 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,350 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 5, 1989
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MPV Montpelier VT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 2,306 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.