Beech 33 accident near Franklin Twp, Pennsylvania, June 12, 1995
On June 12, 1995, a Beech 33, registered N943T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Franklin Twp, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper planning/decision, his continued flight into adverse weather conditions, and his delay in reversing course (diverting to a new destination). The adverse weather with thunderstorms was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 12, 1995
- Place
- Franklin Twp, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 33
- Registration
- N943T · no longer on the register · serial CD-144
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT/OWNER RECEIVED TWO WEATHER BRIEFINGS FOR A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT TO HIS BASE AIRPORT. BOTH BRIEFINGS INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS IN THE DESTINATION AREA. THE PILOT FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN, BUT DEPARTED VFR IN VMC CONDITIONS. HE PROCEEDED DIRECT TO HIS DESTINATION, AT 8,500 FEET, VIA LORAN NAVIGATION. THE VISIBILITY DECREASED DURING THE FLIGHT, AND THE PILOT CLIMBED TO 10,500 FEET. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PILOT RECEIVED WEATHER UPDATES FROM FLIGHT WATCH AND NAVIGATED AROUND BUILD-UPS NORTH AND SOUTH OF HIS COURSE. ALSO, WHILE EN ROUTE, HE FLEW OVER AN AREA WITH NUMEROUS AIRPORTS. ABOUT 30 MILES FROM HIS DESTINATION, THE PILOT OBSERVED DARK CLOUDS IN ALL QUADRANTS AND ATTEMPTED A 180 DEGREE TURN. THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A CLOUD BUILD-UP AND ENCOUNTERED STRONG POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE LOAD FORCES AND HEAVY PRECIPITATION. AFTER EXITING THE CLOUDS, THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY, WHEELS-UP LANDING.
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: 1,092 hours in all; 490 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 971 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1995; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HVN New Haven CT at 10:00 pm
- Destination: HGR Hagerstown PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from MDT, 40 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.