Beech C50 accident near Fayetteville, North Carolina, April 9, 1988
On April 9, 1988 at about 9:53 pm local time, a Beech C50, registered N66L, was destroyed in an accident near Fayetteville, North Carolina (Grainess airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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 9, 1988 · about 9:53 pm local time
- Place
- Fayetteville, North Carolina · Grainess · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C50 · all C50s on the register
- Registration
- N66L · registry record · serial CH-136
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED A FUEL PUMP PROBLEM TO FAYETTEVILLE TOWER AND REQUESTED LANDING. THE PILOT WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 04. THE CONTROLLER NOTICED THAT THE PILOT HAD NOT LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR. THE PILOT WAS QUESTIONED CONCERNING THE GEAR. INSTEAD OF CONTINUING THE APPROACH THE PILOT TURNED WEST AND WAS OBSERVED CIRCLING, THEN FALLING BELOW THE TREE LINE. THE WRECKAGE SITE EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THAT THE AIRPLANE CRASHED IN NOSE LOW ATTITUDE ALONG A TREE LINE SOUTH OF AN OPEN FIELD. THE EXAMINATION ALSO DISCLOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMPS ON THE LEFT ENGINE HAD FAILED. THE ENGINE DRIVEN PUMP HAD A SHAFT FAILURE. THE BOOST PUMP HAD AN INTERNAL SHORT. THE LEFT PROPELLER WAS IN THE FEATHER POSITION. THE OPEN FIELD HAD AMPLE SPACE FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE RIGHT ENGINE WAS STILL CAPABLE OF OPERATION.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 775 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,466 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1987; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming GO-480-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lumberton NC at 9:45 pm
- Destination: Wrightstown NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 7,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from FAY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
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.