Beech A23 accident near Morgantown, West Virginia, August 18, 1993
On August 18, 1993 at about 9:57 am local time, a Beech A23, registered N3552R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Morgantown, West Virginia (Morgantown Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to follow IFR procedures in which he descended below the decision height without visual detection of the runway. Factors are the fog conditions, trees and the pilot's inattention to altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 1993 · about 9:57 am local time
- Place
- Morgantown, West Virginia · Morgantown Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech A23 · all A23s on the register
- Registration
- N3552R · no longer on the register · serial M-726
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS EXECUTING THE ILS RWY 18 APPROACH AND STRUCK TREES 3 MILES FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY AT APPROXIMATELY AIRPORT ELEVATION HEIGHT. WHEN INTERVIEWED, HE SAID THAT DUE TO THE FOG HE WAS LOOKING OUTSIDE FOR THE AIRPORT AND WHEN HE LOOKED BACK INSIDE HE REALIZED HE WAS LOW. HE SAID THAT WHEN HE ADDED POWER, THE AIRPLANE WAS ALREADY IN THE 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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,050 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 3,874 as pilot in command; 2,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,558 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 23, 1992; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-346-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3I2 Point Pleasant WV at 9:00 am
- Destination: MGW Point Marion PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 5,199 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 am from MGW, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.