Beech A35 accident near Wheeler, Indiana, February 7, 1988
On February 7, 1988 at about 8:18 pm local time, a Beech A35, registered N8568A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wheeler, Indiana. It was a ferry 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
- February 7, 1988 · about 8:18 pm local time
- Place
- Wheeler, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A35 · all A35s on the register
- Registration
- N8568A · no longer on the register · serial D 2030
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS BEING OPERATED IAW A FERRY PERMIT TO OBTAIN AN ANNUAL INSPN. THE PREV ANNUAL INSPN WAS ON 3/13/85. DRG FLT ABT 1.3 HRS AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENG LOST PWR. THE PLT NOTED THE FUEL PRES WAS ZERO. HE SAID HE TURNED ON THE AUX FUEL PUMP & INSURED THE FUEL SEL WAS PSND TO THE LEFT TANK WHICH HAD A FULL INDCN. HE ALSO OPERATED THE WOBBLE PUMP, BUT GOT NO FUEL PRES, EXCEPT FUEL PRES & ENG POWER WERE OBTAINED FOR SVRL SHORT PERIODS OF TIME, BUT PWR COULD NOT BE SUSTAINED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED DRG A FORCED LNDG ON A FROZEN, SNOW COVERED, CORN FIELD. THE ACFT WAS MOVED & DISASSEMBLED BEFORE THE INVESTIGATOR COULD CHECK THE FUEL SYS.
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: 309 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 249 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,396 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 13, 1985; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-185-11 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JOT Joliet IL at 7:30 pm
- Destination: 3LP La Porte IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 15 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:47 pm from GYY, 16 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.
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.