# NTSB IAD72AI001: Beech S35, N987LS, Old Fort, NC, July 2, 1971

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: July 2, 1971
- Place: Old Fort, NC · OLD FORT, NC
- Location: 35.6303° N, 82.1780° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Old Fort, NC, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6303&lon=-82.1780&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 6 fatal
- Status: Completed, report December 14, 1971
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 161687
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD72AI001
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD72AI001

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0912   71/7/2    OLD FORT,NC         BEECH S35           CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 41, 525
        TIME - 1235                    N987LS              PX-  5  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, 18 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          ASHEVILLE,NC                DETROIT,MICH
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           AIRFRAME FAILURE: IN FLIGHT                              IN FLIGHT: OTHER
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: UNCONTROLLED                IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           PILOT IN COMMAND - EXCEEDED DESIGNED STRESS LIMITS OF AIRCRAFT
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - OVERLOAD FAILURE
           WEATHER - THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY
        FACTOR(S)
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - SEPARATION IN FLIGHT
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        MISSING AIRCRAFT - LATER RECOVERED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OBSCURATION                                               0
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          ZERO                                                      RAIN SHOWERS, THUNDERSTORM
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
          NONE                                                     VFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          NONE
        REMARKS- RECOVERY DATE 7/5/71. FLEW INTO KNOWN TSTM AREA. ACFT DISINTEGRATED.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N987LS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N987LS-1971-08-24), registration cancelled 1971-08-24, S/N D-7455, built 1964 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH S35
- Registry model: [Beech S35](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-s35) (registry code 1151532) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

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.
