Cessna 414 accident near Duo, West Virginia, November 26, 1996
On November 26, 1996 at about 5:08 pm local time, a Cessna 414, registered N73CP, was destroyed in an accident near Duo, West Virginia (Summersville Airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate inflight decision which resulted in VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions and his failure to maintain adequate terrain clearance which resulted in an inflight collision with terrain. The low ceiling was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 26, 1996 · about 5:08 pm local time
- Place
- Duo, West Virginia · Summersville Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414 · all 414s on the register
- Registration
- N73CP · registry record · serial 414-0505
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after takeoff, the pilot contacted Charleston Approach Control to pick up his IFR clearance to the destination. The controller instructed the pilot to maintain VFR and he then attempted to coordinate with Washington Center for the clearance. The controller subsequently was unable to establish radar contact with the flight and he also lost radio contact with the pilot. The aircraft collided with the upslope of high terrain in weather conditions comprised of fog, sleet, and snow. The accident site was about 14 miles from the departure point. Toxicological testing of the pilot revealed benzoylecgonine.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,358 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 20, 1996; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,350 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-J (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: IO7 Summersville WV at 5:00 pm
- Destination: W13 Waynesboro VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 11 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from BKW, 30 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC97FA021.