Beech 65 accident near West Point, VA
On September 10, 1995, a Beech 65 (airplane) was involved in an accident near West Point, VA. 11 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- September 10, 1995
- Place
- West Point, VA
- Aircraft
- Beech 65 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 11 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 37.550°N, 76.800°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001207X04585
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On September 10, 1995, at 1840 eastern daylight time, a Beech 65, N945PA, operated by the Peninsula Sky Diving Club, was destroyed by impact with a residence and postcrash fire, 2.5 miles east of the West Point Municipal Airport, West Point, Virginia. The airline transport rated pilot, 10 sports parachutists, and 1 resident of the house were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane had flown seven parachute jumping operations on this day, prior to the accident flight. After the seventh flight, the airplane was refueled using plastic jugs/cans, because the quantity of fuel in the underground storage tank was below the electric cutoff level. The fuel was pumped manually into these jugs. A pilot witness stated: While refueling the aircraft for the last two jump runs for the day, the airport [fuel] pumps ran dry. It was suggested that we could by using a hand pump, get some more fuel from the airport tank. This we accomplished with several jumpers assisting. I put approximately five to seven gallons in the left tank that brought it to overflow full. I continued ...to ferry fuel containers from the pump to Nick [the pilot] to complete the refueling. The containers we used were clear plastic 2 gallon cans and one red four or five gallon container. After refueling I observed Nick emerge from under the right wing having sampled the fuel. I had already drained some from the left. Another witness described how two jugs were used at first, and another on
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate preflight/preparation, his failure to ensure proper weight and balance of the airplane, and his failure to obtain/maintain minimum control speed, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control after loss of power in one engine. A factor relating to the accident was: loss of power in the right engine for undetermined reason(s).
More accidents in VA
- Boeing 757-200, Sep 11, 2001
- Beech B99, Sep 23, 1985
- Beech 200, Oct 24, 2004
- Piper PA-31-310, Nov 14, 1982
- Beech 95 B55 (T42A), Aug 12, 2016
Browse: Virginia · Beech aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
