Beech 58 accident near Hilton Head, South Carolina, April 25, 1985
On April 25, 1985 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Beech 58, registered N679BL, was destroyed in an accident near Hilton Head, South Carolina (Hilton Head airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 1985 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hilton Head, South Carolina · Hilton Head · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N679BL · no longer on the register · serial TH-1019
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT THE LANDING GEAR SELECTOR WAS PLACED IN THE DOWN POSITION WHILE ON DOWNWIND FOR LDG & UPON TOUCHDOWN THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE LANDING GEAR FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM. THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED AND RETRACTED BOTH ELECTRICALLY AND MANUALLY WITH NO DESCREPANCIES NOTED.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,276 hours in all; 98 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 2,104 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,717 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 11, 1985; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-CB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAV Savannah GA at 10:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.