Beech B24R accident near Sewanee, Tennessee, December 9, 1987
On December 9, 1987 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Beech B24R, registered N1999L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sewanee, Tennessee. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- December 9, 1987 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Sewanee, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech B24R · all B24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N1999L · no longer on the register · serial MC-432
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT HE OBTAINED A WX BRIEFING BEFORE TAKEOFF & THAT THE WX AT HIS INTENDED DESTINATION WAS RPRTD AS MARGINAL. WHILE EN ROUTE, HE ENCOUNTERED WX AND CLIMBED ABOVE IT. APRX 4 HRS AFTER DEPARTURE, HE BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT THE REMAINING FUEL SUPPLY AND ELECTED TO LAND. HE FOUND AN OPENING IN THE CLOUD COVER AND BEGAN A DESCENT. AS THE ACFT DESCENDED, THE PLT BECAME AWARE THAT HE WAS NEAR A MTN TOP. HE STATED THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED WIND CURRENTS AND BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL; AND SUBSEQUENTLY, THE WINDS FORCED IT DOWN INTO THE TREES. A NEARBY HUNTER, WHO HEARD THE CRASH, SAID THE WX WAS FOGGY AND LIGHT DRIZZLE WAS FALLING.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 387 hours in all; 265 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,826 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Mckenny TX at 12:00 pm
- Destination: FAY Fayetteville NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 10:50 am from HSV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.