Beech E18S accident near Warren, Michigan, March 10, 1988
On March 10, 1988 at about 5:26 am local time, a Beech E18S, registered N900WP, was destroyed in an accident near Warren, Michigan. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was 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
- March 10, 1988 · about 5:26 am local time
- Place
- Warren, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E18S · all E18Ss on the register
- Registration
- N900WP · no longer on the register · serial BA298
- 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 FLT WAS AN AIR TAXI CARGO FLT CARRYING TRUCK PARTS. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE TWR ASKED THE PLT IF HE WAS IN DIFFICULTY AND THE PLT REPLIED 'ROGER' AND REQUESTED A CHANGE OF FLT PLAN. THE ACFT WAS SEEN FLYING ERRATICALLY JUST ABOVE THE TREE TOPS. THE ACFT DESCENDED ALMOST VERTICALLY INTO A RESIDENTIAL AREA. THE REAR OF ONE HOME WAS IGNITED BY THE IMPACT AND 2 OCCUPANTS OF THE HOUSE WERE FATALLY BURNED. POST ACC INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO ENG MALFUNCTION BUT THERE WERE DISCREPANCIES IN THE LOAD MANIFEST AND THE ACFT WT & BALANCE. BEFORE TAKEOFF A CO EMPLOYEE WATCHED THE PLT SECURE THE CARGO WITH ROPES NETS & CLIPS BUT DID NOT HELP BECAUSE HE 'DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE PLT WAS DOING.' IMPACT 'AMAGE PRECLUDED DETERMINATION OF THE ORIGINAL PLACEMENT AND SECURITY OF THE CARGO AND ANY POSSIBLE SHIFTING PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE NET WEIGHT ON THE CARGO MANIFEST DID NOT INCLUDE THE WT OF THE TRAYS TO HOLD THE PARTS. THIS WAS AN OMISSION OF 150 LBS. CO PERSONNEL SAID NO WT & BALANCE INFO WAS LEFT WITH THEM WHEN THE ACFT DEPARTED.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,764 hours in all; 375 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 1, 1987; 121 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985-B14 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: DET Detroit MI at 5:21 am
- Destination: FWA Fort Wayne IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 340° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:27 pm from DET, 4 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 N900WP 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.