Beech 35 accident near New Manchester, West Virginia, October 4, 1992
On October 4, 1992 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Beech 35, registered N3863N, was destroyed in an accident near New Manchester, West Virginia (Herron airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED AND ABORT THE TAKEOFF. THE PILOT'S PREMATURE ROTATION, UPSLOPING RUNWAY, AND A TAILWIND ARE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 4, 1992 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- New Manchester, West Virginia · Herron · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35 · all 35s on the register
- Registration
- N3863N · no longer on the register · serial D-1103
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES SAW THE AIRPLANE, ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN A 2050 FEET RUNWAY, ROTATE, BECOME AIRBORNE, REACH AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 4 TO 6 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, AND TOUCHDOWN BACK ONTO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED THE TAKE OFF ROLL ON THE RUNWAY FOR APPROXIMATELY 550 FEET, BEFORE LIFTING OFF THE RUNWAY IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE JUST PRIOR TO RUNNING OUT OF RUNWAY PAVEMENT. THE LANDING GEAR STRUCK A TREE AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, WENT INTO A LEFT DESCENDING TURN AND IMPACTED THE GROUND.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,368 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 215 in the last 90 days; 72 in the last 30 days; 2,932 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E185E (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 7G1 at 2:14 pm
- Destination: 1G0 Bowling Green OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,050 ft by 24 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:43 pm from PIT, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.