Beech E18S accident near Quincy, Illinois, February 18, 1987
On February 18, 1987 at about 9:32 pm local time, a Beech E18S, registered N149R, was destroyed in an accident near Quincy, Illinois (Baldwin Field). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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
- February 18, 1987 · about 9:32 pm local time
- Place
- Quincy, Illinois · Baldwin Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E18S · all E18Ss on the register
- Registration
- N149R · registry record · serial BA414
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT, AT NEAR GROSS WEIGHT (CG UNKNOWN), WAS ON INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT ENGINES SOUNDEDNORMAL. AT ABOUT 400 FT AGL THE ACFT WAS REPORTED TO PITCH UP ABOUT 10 DEGREES, THEN LEVEL OFF AND ENTER A LEFT TURN. THE ACFT MADE ANOTHER LEFT TURN TO THE SSW. THE PILOT RPRTD THAT HE WAS RETURNING TO THE FIELD, BUT DID NOT STATE PROBLEM. THE WITNESS SAID THE ACFT WAS IN A 30 DEGREE LEFT BANK, TURNING TOWARD THE ARPT, WHEN THE ACFT STALLED AND DESCENDED TO THE GND IN A VERTICAL NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. FIRE/EXPLOSION AFTER IMPACT. LEFT PROP FND IN FEATHERED POSITION.NO ENGINE PROBLEM FOUND. ON 1/28/87, LT ENGINE LOST POWER AFTER TKOF; NO PROBLEM FOUND; UNABLE TO DUPLICATE. PLT HAD 2 ENGINE-OUT EXPERIENCES IN AIRPLANE PREVIOUSLY, BOTH WHEN AT LOW WEIGHT. SURROUNDING TERRAIN SUITABLE FOR OFF-AIRPORT LDG.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,743 hours in all; 287 in this make and model; 187 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 616 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15,749 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 25, 1987; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-20 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Active Aero Charter
The flight
- Departed from: UIN Quincy IL at 9:30 pm
- Destination: YIP Belleville MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 4, 7,100 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from UIN
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.