Benedum Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bridgeport, West Virginia 26330
Friday, November 4, 1988 19:41 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS CLEARED TO EXECUTE A VISUAL APPROACH TO RWY 21 AND WAS ISSUED THE CURRENT ALT SETTING OF 29.60' HG. THE APPROACH WAS MADE UNDER DARK NIGHT AND GUSTY CROSSWIND CONDITIONS TO A LIGHTED RUNWAY IN RURAL MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY TERRAIN. DURING FINAL APPROACH THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A TREE LOCATED APPROX 3,500' FROM RWY 21 AT APPROX 1,300' MSL. THE APRT ELEVATION WAS 1,203' MSL. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST AT APPROX 1,280' MSL ON A HILLSIDE. A PHOTO WAS TAKEN BY RESCUE WORKERS THAT SHOWS THE ALT INDICATING 1,430' MSL. THE ALT SETTING FOUND IN THE WRECKAGE WAS 29.74' HG. THE PLT COULD NOT RECALL SETTING THE ALT PRIOR TO THE APPROACH. THE ALT WAS TESTED AND FOUND TO OPERATE PROPERLY. THE PLT REPORTED THAT NO PRE-IMPACT DEFICIENCIES WERE PRESENT IN THE ACFT AND COULD NOT RECALL THE ACCIDENT. WINDS WERE RECORDED AS GUSTING TO 18 KNOTS AND WHEN THE TOWER CLEARED THE ACFT TO LAND THE CONTROLLER STATED THAT THEY WERE GUSTING TO 16 KNOTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/4/1988
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1941
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BRIDGEPORT
Event State WEST VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 26330
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BENEDUM
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CKB
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1203
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1845 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID CKB
Elevation of weather observation facility 1203
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 18
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1250
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1299
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 4 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37394
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:17PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N39550
NTSB Number ATL89FA024
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28R-201T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-201
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7803354
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 2 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 32
Airframe Hours 1480
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRED W. KRUSE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1632 GEORGETOWN BLVD.
Aircraft Owner City SARASOTA
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34232
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FRED W. KRUSE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1632 GEORGETOWNE BLVD
Operator City SARASOTA
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 34232
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code GSP
Departure City GREER
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1722
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code CKB
Destination City BRIDGEPORT
Destination State WV
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 5198
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --