Beech E18S accident near Cleveland, Ohio, June 6, 1985
On June 6, 1985 at about 4:15 am local time, a Beech E18S, registered CFFLC, was destroyed in an accident near Cleveland, Ohio. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- June 6, 1985 · about 4:15 am local time
- Place
- Cleveland, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E18S · all E18Ss on the register
- Registration
- CFFLC · no longer on the register · serial BA365
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT DEPARTED & PROCEEDED EN ROUTE WITHOUT INCIDENT. RADAR & RADIO CONTACT WAS MAINTAINED UNTIL THE FLT PROCEEDED OVER LAKE ERIE. THE FLT DID NOT ARRIVE AT IT'S DESTINATION. THE ACFT IS PRESUMED TO HAVE CRASHED IN LAKE ERIE. ONE IDENTIFIABLE 3 FT X 4 FT SECTION OF FLOOR PANEL WAS LOCATED.TWO SMALLER PIECES OF WRECKAGE WERE ALSO FOUND WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN PORTIONS OF CFFIC.
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: 5,131 hours in all; 340 in this make and model; 219 in the last 90 days; 3,384 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,756 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 23, 1985; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,700 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R985-AN14B (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: YOO Oshawa at 3:02 am
- Destination: CLE Cleveland OH
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:00 am from CLE, 30 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under CFFLC the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.