Beech D55 accident near Cameron, Louisiana, April 21, 1987
On April 21, 1987 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Beech D55, registered N413S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cameron, Louisiana (Cameron airport). It was a business 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
- April 21, 1987 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Cameron, Louisiana · Cameron · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D55 · all D55s on the register
- Registration
- N413S · registry record · serial TE657
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE LEFT ENGINE LOST POWER AT ROTATION BUT, DUE TO THE SHORT RUNWAY (2500-SOD), THE PILOT ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE TAKEOFF. HE SWITCHED THE LEFT FUEL SELECTOR, PLACED THE BOOST PUMP SWITCH IN THE 'HIGH' POSITION AND RETRACTED THE LANDING GEAR AND FLAPS BUT DID NOT FEATHER THE LEFT PROPELLER. THE AIRSPEED DETERIORATED TO ABOUT 85 MPH. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A SMALL PERPENDICULAR ORIENTED ROADWAY BUT WAS TOO LOW AND SLOW FOR LANDING ALIGNMENT. HE THEREFORE REDUCED POWER ON THE RIGHT ENGINE AND LANDED IN THE MARSH. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATIOIN REVEALED THE LEFT MAIN FUEL STRAINER BOWL WAS LOOSE ENOUGH TO ALLOW INTRODUCTION ON AIR INTO THE FUEL SYSTEM.
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; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: gyroplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 17,662 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 297 in the last 90 days; 17,220 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,970 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1R5 Cameron LA at 9:14 pm
- Destination: LFT Lafayette LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.