# NTSB ERA26LA065: Beech 95-C55, N95KC, Cocoa, FL, December 8, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: December 8, 2025, 17:37 local (22:37 UTC) - Place: Cocoa, FL · I-95 - Coordinates: 28.367694, -80.799359 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.3677&lon=-80.7994&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 2 uninjured; on the ground: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report June 17, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 202132 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA065 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202132/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202132 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA065 ## Probable cause The flight crew’s failure to adequately manage the available fuel onboard the airplane, which resulted in a total loss of power due to fuel starvation. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Flight crew (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 95-C55, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md?model=1152708), [All aircraft, 792 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md) - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Flight crew; cases with it: [Beech 95-C55, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=1152708), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech 95-C55, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=1152708), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md) - [Approach: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Beech 95-C55, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=1152708), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Beech 95-C55, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=1152708), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Beech 95-C55, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1152708), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot and the flight instructor were flying the multi-engine airplane in preparation for the pilot’s multi-engine practical test the following day. Prior to departing, the pilots thought that the airplane had a total of 65 gallons of fuel onboard based solely on their observations of the airplane’s cockpit fuel quantity gauges. The pilot specifically stated that the main fuel tanks indicated 1/2-full and the auxiliary fuel tanks indicated 3/4-full. They departed and began a series of maneuvers and scenarios, and neither pilot selected the auxiliary fuel tanks for that portion of the flight. After about 1.3 hours of flight time, and while on approach back to the departure airport, the pilot reported that at about 1,500 ft agl, the airplane began to lose altitude and he perceived that the airplane’s engines had lost power. Shortly after, the flight instructor took control of the airplane and they attempted to restore engine power. The flight instructor pitched for best glide and began to search for a suitable landing location. During the landing attempt on an interstate, the airplane contacted a passenger vehicle and came to rest between the center lanes of the highway. The airplane’s fuselage was substantially damaged during the accident sequence. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed all of the fuel tanks were intact and the fuel caps remained secured. The cockpit fuel gauges indicated that both main fuel tanks were empty and that the right and left auxiliary fuel tanks contained 1/4 and 1/2 tank, respectively; a total of 23 gallons. About 1 pint of fuel was recovered from each of the main fuel tanks. Given this information, it is likely that the simultaneous loss of engine power to both of the airplane’s engines was the result of fuel starvation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N95KC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N95KC), registered now, S/N TE-203 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH 95-C55 - Registry model: [Beech 95-C55](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-95-c55) (registry code 1152708) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: TE-203 - Year built: 1966 - Engines: Continental Aerospace Technologies IO 520 SERIES 285 horsepower reciprocating; Continental Aerospace Technologies IO 520 SERIES 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: COI, Merrit Island, FL - Flight plan: IFR - Equipment: Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display, ADS-B, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 27; injuries: none; private, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review November 14, 2025; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 291 total, 38 in this make and model, 180 as pilot in command, 86 in the last 90 days, 36 in the last 30 days - Flight instructor; age 27; injuries: none; private, commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 25, 2025; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,256 total, 14 in this make and model, 1,188 as pilot in command, 257 in the last 90 days, 47 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 10° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,000 ft broken - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 59 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: XMR, 14 nm away - METAR: METAR KXMR 082255Z AUTO 01010KT 10SM BKN030 OVC100 19/15 A2995 RMK AO2 SLP145 T01880153 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20251208019809A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251208019809A), Dec 8, 2025: Beech 95-C55, Cocoa, FL, Substantial damage. Flight instructor and commercial pilot departed the Merritt Island Airport to conduct a practice checkride in preparation for a multiengine practical test.… ## Docket (8 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 17, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202132. 27.8 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19746551&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA26LA065%20Pilot%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (flight instructor) (item 2, PDF, 10 pages, 2.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19745955&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA26LA065%20Flight%20Instructor%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� telephone interview, pilot (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 108 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19746561&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA26LA065%20Pilot%20MOR_OUO_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� telephone interview, instructor (item 4, PDF, 5 pages, 115 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19745965&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA26LA065%20Flight%20Instructor%20MOR_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector's statement (item 5, PDF, 2 pages, 38 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19748611&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA26LA065%20Inspector%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record - FAA inspector correspondence (item 6, PDF, 2 pages, 101 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19747202&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA26LA065%20FAA%20Email%20MOR_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigative photos (item 7, PDF, 3 pages, 746 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19748340&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA26LA065%20Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf - Dash camera (item 8, MP4, 22.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19747968&FileExtension=mp4&FileName=ERA26LA065%20Dash%20Video-Rel.mp4 From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.