Beech C99 accident near Syracuse, New York, November 9, 1991
On November 9, 1991, a Beech C99, registered N3063W, suffered minor damage in an accident near Syracuse, New York (Syracuse airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was seriously injured; 7 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE CO-PILOT TO REMAIN CLEAR OF THE ROTATING PROPELLER DUE TO DIVERSION OF ATTENTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 9, 1991
- Place
- Syracuse, New York · Syracuse · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 7 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C99 · all C99s on the register
- Registration
- N3063W · registry record · serial 4230
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMUTER AIRLINER WAS LOADED WITH PASSENGERS AND THE CREW. THE ENGINES WERE STARTED AND PRIOR TO TAXIING A POD BAGGAGE DOOR WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FIRST OFFICER EXITED THE COCKPIT TO CHECK THE TWO EXTERNAL LOWER DOORS. HE WAS OBSERVED CHECKING THE DOORS AND THEN STOOD UP IN THE AREA BETWEEN THE FUSELAGE AND ENGINE, FORWARD OF THE WING LEADING EDGE AND BEHIND THE PROPELLER ARC. HE WALKED INTO THE PROPELLER AND WAS THROWN OUTBOARD OF THE ENGINE TOWARD THE WING TIP. NO MARKINGS WERE ON THE AIRPLANE TO INDICATE THE AREA OF THE PROPELLER PLANE OR PROXIMITY OF IT.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,600 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 177 in the last 90 days; 86 in the last 30 days; 1,500 as pilot in command; 700 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 8, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 11,300 lb
- Seats: 16
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6-36 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Horizon Air
The flight
- Destination: LGA Laguardia NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 6 |
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 N3063W 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.