Beech 58 accident near West Chester, Pennsylvania, August 1, 1992
On August 1, 1992 at about 3:10 pm local time, a Beech 58, registered N38CL, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Chester, Pennsylvania (Brandywine airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN ENCOUNTER WITH WINDSHEAR WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE LANDING HARD AND SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 1992 · about 3:10 pm local time
- Place
- West Chester, Pennsylvania · Brandywine · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N38CL · no longer on the register · serial TH-829
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS PREVAILED WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS ON FINAL APPROACH AND IT ENCOUNTERED A WIND SHEAR. THE PILOT SAID HE APPLIED FULL POWER AND ROTATED THE NOSE UP; HOWEVER, HE WAS UNABLE TO ARREST THE DESCENT IN TIME TO PREVENT THE AIRPLANE FROM TOUCHING DOWN IN A GRASSY AREA 10 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE THEN BOUNCED INTO THE AIR AND CAME TO REST ON THE RUNWAY WITH COLLAPSED LANDING GEAR.
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: 10,500 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 8,000 as pilot in command; 1,250 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,797 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 25, 1992; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TEB Teterboro NJ at 2:30 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 3,007 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 25 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.