Beech E18S accident near Fort Wayne, Indiana, November 24, 1985
On November 24, 1985 at about 7:08 pm local time, a Beech E18S, registered N46L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Wayne, Indiana (Baer Field). It was an instructional 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 24, 1985 · about 7:08 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Wayne, Indiana · Baer Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E18S · all E18Ss on the register
- Registration
- N46L · registry record · serial BA379
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A RIGHT ENG FIRE DURING ENG START. THE PLT REPORTED THE RIGHT ENG WOULD NOT START DURING THE FIRST ATTEMPT. DURING THE SECOND ATTEMPT AT STARTING THE ENG, IT STARTED. WHILE RUNNING THE ENG ON THE PRIMER, THE PLT HEARD A LOUD BANG AND SAW FLAMES COMING FROM THE ENG. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO RUN THE ENG TO DRAW THE FLAMES INTO THE INTAKE, HOWEVER, THIS FAILED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE PLT SECURED THE ACFT AND EVACUATED. THE FIRE WAS THEN COMPLETELY ENTINGUISHED BY THE ARPT FIRE DEPT. INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THE RIGHT ENG CARB FLOAT ASSEMBLY WAS CRACKED ALLOWING THE FLOAT TO SINK. WHEN THE FUEL BOOST PUMP WAS USED FOR STARTING THE ENG THE FUEL WAS ALLOWED TO FLOW THROUGH THE CARB INTO THE INTAKE SCOOP AND ONTO THE ACFT AND GROUND BELOW THE ACFT. THE ENG BACKFIRE, HEARD BY THE PLT, THEN IGNITED THE FUEL.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,969 hours in all; 143 in this make and model; 111 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 11,660 as pilot in command; 1,378 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 18, 1985; 192 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985AN-14B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Summit City Air Charter, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.