Beech B24R accident near Bethpage, New York, October 14, 1995
On October 14, 1995 at about 9:22 pm local time, a Beech B24R, registered N2544W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bethpage, New York (Republic Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate preflight and inflight planning/preparation, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 14, 1995 · about 9:22 pm local time · cases in 1995
- Place
- Bethpage, New York · Republic Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B24R · all B24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N2544W · registry record · serial MC-245
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed Gardiner at about 1530 with the assumption that the flight time would be about 35 minutes. While intercepting the final approach at Farmingdale, 'the left tank ran out of gas.' The pilot switched to the right tank and continued the approach. During the approach, at about 1722, the engine lost power. The pilot made a forced landing and the airplane impacted a tree. Examination of the wreckage revealed no fuel in the fuel tanks and no anomalies with the fuel system. Additionally, the pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane, and recommended that the accident could have been prevented with better flight planning.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 742 hours in all; 542 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 648 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,271 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 3, 1994; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5NY5 Gardiner NY at 7:30 pm
- Destination: FRG Farmingdale NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14, 6,827 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 16 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:35 pm from FRG
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 N2544W the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N2544W on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Beechcraft B24 117 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Beechcraft 6 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 141 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Republic Airport · nearest airport
- Gardiner Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in New York 1,964 since 1982 · 249 in the last ten years
- New York 6,658 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N2544W 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/NYC96LA008.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.