Beech A-24-R accident near Hamburg, New York, May 21, 1994
On May 21, 1994 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Beech A-24-R, registered N8041R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hamburg, New York (Hamburg INC 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
The pilot's failure to establish a positive climb rate, which resulted in an inflight collision with trees. Factors were a tailwind, the pilot's premature raising of the flaps, and his failure to do a go around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 1994 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Hamburg, New York · Hamburg INC · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A-24-R · all A-24-Rs on the register
- Registration
- N8041R · no longer on the register · serial ML-36
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ARRIVING AT HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN AIRPORT ADVISORY INFORMATION. ON HIS FIRST APPROACH TO RUNWAY 01, THE PILOT CONSIDERED HIMSELF HIGH AND FAST, AND EXECUTED A GO-AROUND AT 50 TO 75 FEET. DURING THE SECOND APPROACH, HE TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 1/3 TO 1/2 OF THE WAY DOWN THE 2500 FOOT RUNWAY. THE PILOT DECIDED THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO STOP THE AIRPLANE, RETRACTED THE FLAPS, AND APPLIED FULL POWER. HE ROTATED AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY TO CLEAR A 4 FOOT FENCE, CROSSED A HIGHWAY, AND SETTLED INTO BRUSH AND TREES. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT, THE ENGINE OR ANY OF THE SYSTEMS PRIOR TO THE IMPACT. WINDS REPORTED AT AN AIRPORT 15 MILES AWAY WERE FROM 220 DEGREES AT 9 KNOTS. THE PROCEDURE FOR A BALKED LANDING IN THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK IS TO RETRACT THE FLAPS AFTER CLEARING THE OBSTACLES.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 251 hours in all; 191 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 186 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1993; 87 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FKL Franklin PA at 1:45 pm
- Destination: 4G2 Hamburg
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 1, 2,465 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,400 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:21 pm from BUF, 15 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N8041R 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.