Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Keyser, West Virginia 26726
Thursday, June 30, 1983 10:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE MANAGER OF BLACKHAWK AIRWAYS HAD CLEARED THE FLT FOR A 1000 EDT DEPARTURE, BUT THE ACTUAL TAKEOFF TIME WAS NOT ESTABLISHED. NO RECORD OF A PREFLT WX BRIEFING WAS FOUND. HOWEVER, DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION PRIOR TO THE FLT, THE PLT INDICATED TO HIS MANAGER THAT THE CLOUDS WOULD BE LOWER IN THE MOUNTAINS. AT APRX 1030, GROUND WITNESSES OBSERVED AN ACFT, MATCHING THE DESCRIPTION OF N215W, CIRCLING BENEATH THE CLOUDS AT KEYSER, WV, THEN DEPART TO THE SOUTHWEST. WHEN THE ACFT DID NOT ARRIVE AT ITS DESTINATION, A SEARCH WAS BEGUN. IT WAS FOUND WHERE IT HAD IMPACTED RISING TERRAIN APRX 6 MI SOUTHWEST OF KEYSER. THE IMPACT OCCURRED ON A 26 DEG SLOPE, AT APRX THE 3000 FT LEVEL, JUST BELOW A 3104 FT PEAK. THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING WHEN IT IMPACTED WOODED TERRAIN. A PLT/MECHANICAL, WHO OPERATED AN ARPT APRX 3 MI SOUTHEAST OF KEYSER, REPORTED THERE WAS FOG IN THE MORNING HRS WITH A CEILING OF ABOUT 2000 FT UNTIL MIDDAY & THAT THE MOUNTAIN TOPS IN THE VICINITY OF THE CRASH SITE WERE OBSCURED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/30/1983
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City KEYSER
Event State WEST VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 26726
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1000 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID EKN
Elevation of weather observation facility 1987
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 47
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 4200
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2032
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22384
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N215W
NTSB Number ATL83FA247
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model G18S
Aircraft Series Identifier G18S
Aircraft Serial Number BA 581
Certified Max Gross Weight 10100
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 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Jun 3 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 12686
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BLACKHAWK AIRWAYS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address POST OFFICE BOX 744
Aircraft Owner City JANESVILLE
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 53545
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code W16
Departure City WINCHESTER
Departure State VA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code IOW
Destination City IOWA CITY
Destination State IA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --