Beech A36 accident near Wilmington, Ohio, December 26, 1991
On December 26, 1991 at about 1:48 am local time, a Beech A36, registered N236JS, was destroyed in an accident near Wilmington, Ohio (Lumberton airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOTS TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE TERRAIN CLEARANCE. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE NIGHT CONDITIONS, REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO FOG, AND THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THE PILOTS DIVERTED THEIR ATTENTION TO THE OPERATION OF THE LORAN EQUIPMENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 1991 · about 1:48 am local time
- Place
- Wilmington, Ohio · Lumberton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N236JS · registry record · serial E-2496
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS ON A LOCAL NIGHT FLIGHT TO SEE THE XMAS LIGHTS OF DAYTON FROM THE AIR. A PAX STATED THAT WHEN SHE THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO LAND THE ACFT HIT TREES. THERE WAS NO UNUSUAL ENGINE SOUND, OR ANYTHING DIFFERENT FROM OTHER FLIGHTS. THE ACCIDENT OCCURED ABOUT 1 MI FROM THE AIRPORT. THE LEFT SEAT PILOT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT-RATED. THE RIGHT SEAT PILOT WAS THE ACFT OWNER, AND WAS INSTRUMENT RATED. THE PILOT OPERATING THE CONTROLS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS NOT DETERMINED. THERE ARE NO FAA-APPROVED APPROACHES FOR THE ARPT; HOWEVER, THE OWNER HAD DESIGNED A LORAN-C APPROACH AND TWO R-NAV APPROACHES FOR PERSONAL USE. THE ACTIVE WAYPOINT FOUND IN THE ACFT'S LORAN UNIT COINCIDED WITH THE ARPT. THE OWNER WAS DESCRIBED AS A PERSON WHO ' WAS PROUD OF, AND WOULD BE EAGER TO SHOW OTHER PILOTS FLYING THE AIRPLANE, THE PROCEDURES FOR USE OF THE EQUIPMENT INSTALLED.'
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: 221 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 136 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 287 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 2, 1991; 116 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,650 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from DAY, 26 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
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.