Beech S35 accident near Pontiac, Michigan, July 4, 1987
On July 4, 1987 at about 11:03 pm local time, a Beech S35, registered N9011S, was destroyed in an accident near Pontiac, Michigan (Oakland/Pontiac Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were 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
- July 4, 1987 · about 11:03 pm local time
- Place
- Pontiac, Michigan · Oakland/Pontiac Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech S35 · all S35s on the register
- Registration
- N9011S · no longer on the register · serial D7942
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT WAS MAKING A LOW PASS ABOUT 200 FT AGL OVER RWY 27L TO ALLOW ATCT PERSONNEL TO INSPECT LANDING GEAR POSITION AFTER REPORTING LANDING GEAR DIFFICULTIES. AFTER TWR PERSONNEL INFORMED THE PLT THAT THE GEAR APPEARED TO BE DOWN, THE PLT REQUESTED TO LAND ON RWY 09L. AS THE ACFT PASSED ABEAM OF THE ATCT, WITNESSES SAID THE ENGINE STOPPED. THE ACFT THEN MADE A SHARP TURN TO THE RIGHT, TOWARD RWY 09L, APPEARED TO STALL, AND DESCENDED TO THE GROUND. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINEDID NOT REVEAL ANY MALFUNCTIONS. APPROX 2,200 FEET OF RWY 27L REMAINING, IF PILOT HAD ELECTED TO LAND STRAIGHT-AHEAD AFTER POWER LOSS. EIGHT GALLONS FUEL REMAINING IN LEFT WING; RIGHT WING FUEL TANK DAMAGED AND LEAKING POST-CRASH. FUEL SELECTOR ON LEFT MAIN TANK.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,062 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 958 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,251 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 20, 1986; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TVC Traverse City MI at 9:54 pm
- Destination: PTK Pontiac MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9L, 3,250 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:03 pm from PTK, 1 miles away
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.