Beech 76 accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota, January 27, 1985
On January 27, 1985 at about 3:49 pm local time, a Beech 76, registered N1850S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota (Mark Andrews Int'L airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- January 27, 1985 · about 3:49 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Forks, North Dakota · Mark Andrews Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 76 · all 76s on the register
- Registration
- N1850S · no longer on the register · serial ME-428
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON SUNDAY 1/27/85 AT APPROXIMATELY 0849 MST, A BEECH DUCHESSN1850S, ON LEASE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA CRASHED AFTER TAKEOFF FROM THE GRAND FORKS AIRPORT, GRAND FORKS, ND.THE STUDENT PILOT AND CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTORE WERE NOT INJURED. TWO PASSENGERS IN THE BACK SEATS RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THERE WAS NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED AND VMC PREVAILED. THE PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THIS FLIGHT WAS A TRAINING FLIGHT IN A MULTI-ENGINE AIRCRAFT. THE STUDENT PILOT INITIATED THE FLIGHT ON RUNWAY 34R. AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 150 FT. ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL) THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SIMULATED AN ENGINE FAILURE RETARDING THE LEFT THROTTLE. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS SLOW TO REACT TO THE FAILURE AND THE AIRSPEED DROPPED BELOW VMC. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN FLYING SPEED BY INCREASING BOTH ENGINES TO FUEL POWER. THE INSTRUCTOR WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN AIRSPEED BEFORE GROUND IMPACT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,430 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 4,700 as pilot in command; 3,900 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,128 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 25, 1985; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1GGD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: University Of North Dakota
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35R, 3,400 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 9°F (-13°C), dew point 3°F (-16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from GFK, 1 miles away
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.