Beech E18S accident near Janesville, Wisconsin, April 21, 1985
On April 21, 1985 at about 3:20 am local time, a Beech E18S, registered N68V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Janesville, Wisconsin. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 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 21, 1985 · about 3:20 am local time
- Place
- Janesville, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E18S · all E18Ss on the register
- Registration
- N68V · registry record · serial BA-282
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON APRIL 20,1985 AT APPROX. 2100HRS LOCAL TIME A BEECHCRAFT MODEL E185 N68Y OWNED AND OPERATED BY BLACKHAWK AIRWAYS INC. WAS CONDUCTING A NORMAL RUNUP IN PREPARATION FOR A FLIGHT FROM JANESVILLE, WI. (JVL) TO CHICAGO IL. (ORD). AT THE COMPLETION OF THE OF THE RUNUP,BUT PRIOR TO TAKING THE RUNWAY FOR TAKEOFF FIRE WAS DISCOVERED IN THE VICINITY OF THE LEFT ENGINE. AFTER ADVISING THE JANESVILLE CONTROL TOWER OF THE PROBLEM AND REQUESTING ASSISTANCE, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO BLOW THE FIRE OUT AND AFTER BEING UNSUCCESSFUL, SECURED BOTH ENGINES AND EEXITED THE AIRCRAFT ALONG WITH HIS PASSENGER. THE FIRE WAS ESTINGUISHED BY AIRPORT FIREFIGHTING EQUIPMENT ASSISTED BY UNITS OF THE BELOIT, WI. FIRE DEPT. SOURCE OF FIRE APPEARS TO BE FROM A FUEL LINE, BUT EXACT SOURCE UNDETERMINED DUE TO FIRE DAMAGE.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,834 hours in all; 86 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,134 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 3, 1985; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985-AN-14B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: ORD Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 190° at 16 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:27 am from JVL
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.