3 fatalities

2019 Beech F33A Accident in Hatboro, Pennsylvania (N4082S)

Hatboro, PA, United States

On August 8, 2019, a Beech F33 A (registration N4082S) was involved in an aviation accident near Hatboro, PA. 3 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's loss of airplane control due to spatial disorientation during the departure climb after entering instrument meteorological conditions. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

On August 8, 2019, a Beech F33A (N4082S) crashed in Hatboro, PA, killing the pilot and two passengers. The aircraft was destroyed after a steep descent following takeoff from Northeast Philadelphia Airport.

Accident Overview and Flight History On August 8, 2019, at approximately 0615 EDT, a Beech F33A, registration N4082S, was destroyed in an accident in Hatboro, Pennsylvania. The pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The aircraft was operating as a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot and passengers were en route to St. Louis, Missouri, with plans to continue to Sacramento, California. The pilot had departed from Northeast Philadelphia Airport (PNE) with a planned fuel stop at Ohio State University Airport (OSU) in Columbus, Ohio. The pilot had filed two IFR cross-country flight plans and received a standard weather briefing at 0351, planning to depart early due to forecasted thunderstorms. The pilot received an IFR clearance at 0601 and was cleared for takeoff from runway 33 about 10 minutes later. After takeoff, the pilot attempted to contact Philadelphia departure control but remained on the PNE tower frequency. No further transmissions or distress calls were received. NTSB performance studies using ADS-B data indicated the flight lasted about 2.5 minutes and covered 6 nautical miles. The aircraft climbed to 1,186 feet MSL before entering a steep descent at 2,000 feet per minute, reaching a final calculated airspeed of 180 knots and an altitude of 586 feet MSL just before impact. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft flying extremely low and hearing a loud engine before the impact.

Contributing factors

Performance/control parameters — Not attained/maintainedPilotAbility to respond/compensate