Beechcraft B50 N3688B

Summary

On 23 August 1989 at about 01:20 local time, a Beechcraft B50 registered N3688B was involved in an accident near Church Creek, Maryland, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 August 1989 at 01:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Church Creek, Maryland, United States

Coordinates

38.5008, -76.1498

Aircraft

Beechcraft B50

Registration

N3688B

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ocean City → Leonardtown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

BFO89FA069

3 people died.

VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC AND PILOT DISORIENTATION, WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE, DARKNESS, AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT WAS ON A VFR FLIGHT, WHEN ACCORDING TO RADAR DATA, THE ACFT ENTERED AN AREA OVER THE CHESAPEAKE BAY REPORTED AS IMC. THE ACFT DESCENDED RAPIDLY AND CRASHED IN A WOODED SWAMP AREA JUST EAST OF THE BAY. THE PLT WAS RETURNING TO THE ARPT, WHERE THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED EARLIER. THE PLT OBTAINED A WX BRIEFING ABOUT 9 HRS EARLIER AND HE WAS ADVISED OF MARGINAL VFR FORECAST UP TO 1800 HRS. THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE THAT THE PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. THE PLT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED AND HE OBTAINED A MULTI-ENGINE RATING 2 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.