- Date
- November 30, 1987, 09:46 local (14:46 UTC)
- Place
- Beaufort, SC
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4463WBeech C90
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 12, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19871130068499A
- Case key
- 7818
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
At 0938, while clbg thru 9000', the plt was clrd to clb to FL 210. Aprx 10 min later, the ATC ctlr noted the acft's mode c rtrn wasn't being displayed on his scope. He tried to adz the plt, but couldn't establish radio contact. The acftbroke up in flt & the wreckage was fnd submerged in a creek & on marshland. A large piece of the rgt outboard wing panelwas fnd abt 2 mi east of the main wreckage. The rgt eng was fnd aprx 800' to 1200' NE of the main wreckage in 4' of wtr. There was evidence the rgt outboard wing had failed fm upward & aft overload. No pre-acdnt mech failure or malfunction was fnd that would have resulted in an in-flt break-up. Radar data showed the acft was clbg at 115 KTS & 1100'/MIN; at aprx 16,000' MSL, rate of clb slowed to aprx 750'/MIN, then increased to 1200'/MIN. Peak alt was aprx 18,200'. Acft thenentered a steep dscnt & crashed. At the aprx time & place of peak alt, primary targets appeared on radar & remained for svrl mins. Organic mtrl was fnd on left eng inlet screen, but source was not dtrmd. Acdnt occurred along bird flyway.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4463W
- Reported as
- Beech C90
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- LJ-633
- Airframe hours
- 2,092
- Engine
- P&W PT6A-20A, 550 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Joseph R. Leon
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · January 15, 1987 · 191 hours before
- Departed
- SAV · Savannah, GA
- Destination
- PNE · Philadelphia, PA
- Flight plan
- IFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 66
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 14,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- NBC, 5 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.