Beech B90 accident near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, August 9, 1987
On August 9, 1987 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Beech B90, registered N425K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Milwaukee, Wisconsin (General Mitchell airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 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
- August 9, 1987 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin · General Mitchell · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B90 · all B90s on the register
- Registration
- N425K · registry record · serial LJ-318
- 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 DEPARTURE THE CREW IDENTIFIED AN IN FLIGHT FIRE. AN IMMEDIATE SHUTDOWN OF ELECTRICAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND PRESSURIZATION SYSTEMS WAS INITIATED AND A RETURN WAS MADE TO THE AIRPORT WITH A SUCCESSFUL LANDING. THE FIRE WAS DISCOVERED TO HAVE OCCURRED IN THE AREA OF THE PRESSURIZATION SUPERCHARGER AND HAD SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED THE AIRCRAFT. THE CREW AND TWO PASSENGERS EVACUATED SUCCESSFULLY WITHOUT INJURY. THE SUPERCHARGER HOSE COLLAPSED FROM DETERIORATION. OIL SPILLAGE DURING SERVICING CONTAMINATED THE HOSE.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 4,335 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 3,784 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,456 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 7, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 9,650 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-20 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MKE at 6:40 pm
- Destination: LNL Land O'Lakes WI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 1L, 9,690 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,400 ft; scat at 700 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from MKE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.