Beech 23 accident near Laporte, Indiana, November 11, 1986
On November 11, 1986 at about 3:16 pm local time, a Beech 23, registered N2335Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Laporte, Indiana (La Porte Municipal airport). It was a personal 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 11, 1986 · about 3:16 pm local time
- Place
- Laporte, Indiana · La Porte Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 23 · all 23s on the register
- Registration
- N2335Q · no longer on the register · serial M-400
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT AT THE INITIAL FULL THROTTLE POSITION THE ACFT DEVELOPED 2450 RPM. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, AT APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET OF ALTITUDE HE NOTICED A LOSS OF RPM'S TO 2050 AND HE IMMEDIATELY RECHECKED THE THROTTLE AND MIXTURE CONTROLS, THE MAGNETO SWITCH, THE FUEL PUMP, AND THE MASTER SWITCH FOR PROPER POSITIONS. THE PLT STATED THAT AT THIS POINT THE RPM'S HAD FALLEN TO 1500 AND HE PREPARED FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A CORNFIELD TO HIS LEFT. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, DURING THE DESCENT HE CONTINUED TO MANIPULATE THE THROTTLE AND MIXTURE CONTROLS, BUT HE DID NOT SWITCH FUEL TANKS. THE PLT STATED THAT ONCE THE ACFT'S RIGHT WING TOUCHED THE TOP OF THE CORN, HE REDUCED THROTTLE AND FLARED THE ACFT. INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED VERY LOW FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK, WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR ON THE LEFT TANK POSITION. THE SPARK PLUGS WERE ALSO WORN AND LEAD FOULED.
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
- Flight time: 189 hours in all; 189 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 145 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 150 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3LP La Porte IN at 3:15 pm
- Destination: TEL Tell City IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,600 ft; scat at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from SBN, 20 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 N2335Q 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.