Globe GC-1B accident near Beaufort, South Carolina, November 5, 1987
On November 5, 1987 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Globe GC-1B, registered N78169, was substantially damaged in an accident near Beaufort, South Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- November 5, 1987 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Beaufort, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Globe GC-1B · all GC-1Bs on the register
- Registration
- N78169 · no longer on the register · serial GC-1B
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE ENGINE LOST PWR AT CRUISE AND THE PLT MADE A FORCED LNG IN A SALT-WATER MARSH. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PLT WAS FERRYING THE ACFT TO ANOTHER ARPT TO HAVE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE, WHICH WAS STUCK IN THE AUX TANK POSITION. THE AUX TANK WAS NOT FULL PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. ABOUT 30 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE, THE AUX TANK RAN DRY AND THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO SWITCH THE SELECTOR VALVE TO THE MAIN TANKS WHICH CONTAINED FUEL. EXAMINATION OF THE VALVE MECHANISM REVEALED THAT SET SCREWS ON THE SELECTOR VALVE SHAFT HAD LOOSENED, WHICH ALLOWED THE SELECTOR HANDLE TO BE MOVED WITHOUT REPOSITIONING THE SELECTOR VALVE. THE ACFT CRASHED ABOUT 12 MILES SHORT OF THE DESTINATION ARPT. ACCORDING TO FAA RECORDS, NO FERRY PERMIT WAS ISSUED FOR THE FLT.
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: 6,500 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 6,330 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,950 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 12, 1987; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,710 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 71S Summerville SC at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 73J Beaufort SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 2 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 |
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.