Beech H18 accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, November 5, 1985
On November 5, 1985 at about 9:11 pm local time, a Beech H18, registered N1461G, was destroyed in an accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Expressway airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were 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
- November 5, 1985 · about 9:11 pm local time
- Place
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma · Expressway · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech H18 · all H18s on the register
- Registration
- N1461G · no longer on the register · serial BA637
- 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
ATR PLT DEPARTING ARPT UNDER VMC EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE RIGHT ENG SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF. THE ACFT YAWED RIGHT FOLLOWED BY A STEEP RIGHT ROLL, CONTACTING POWER LINES WITH THE RIGHT WING AND SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED THE GROUND. A POST-CRASH FIRE DESTOYED THE ACFT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF BOTH ENGS AND A PORTION OF THE RIGHT WING PANEL. THE ENG FAILED DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION TO THE IMPELLER SHAFT CAUSED BY BLOCKAGE OF OIL JET DUE TO FOD. OIL LINE FROM SCAVENGE SUMP TO SCAVENGE PUMP INLET HAD BEEN REPLACED PRIOR TO ACCIDENT. THE ACFT HAD EXPERIENCED MAINTENANCE PROBLEM (OIL LEAK) APRX 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO ACCIDENT. SOURCE OF FOD IS UNDETERMINED.
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
- Flight time: 16,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,660 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 4, 1985; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,500 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 2EJ at 9:10 pm
- Destination: FSI Lawton OK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 20, 3,000 ft by 70 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:48 pm from PWA, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N1461G 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.