Beech B-60 accident near Wall, Texas, May 27, 1987
On May 27, 1987 at about 1:51 pm local time, a Beech B-60, registered N4314W, was destroyed in an accident near Wall, Texas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. 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
- May 27, 1987 · about 1:51 pm local time
- Place
- Wall, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B-60 · all B-60s on the register
- Registration
- N4314W · no longer on the register · serial P-264
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT WAS DESTROYED DURING AN ATTEMPTED OFF AIRPORT EMERGENCY LANDING FOLLOWING A DUAL ENG FAILURE WHILE LEVELING OFF AT CRZ FLT. PLT STATED THAT LEFT ENG, THEN RIGHT ENG SURGED AND QUIT AS HE WAS LEVELING OFF AT 9000' MSL. AT THE TIME OF THE ENG FAILURES THE FUEL TOTALIZER WAS READING 60 GAL, BUT THE ACFT FUEL GAUGES WERE READING EMPTY. PLT BROKE OUT OF OVC AT 3500 MSL (ABOUT 1200' AGL) AND WAS UNABLE TO FIND A SUITABLE CLEAR AREA TO LAND BEFORE COMMITTING TO AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN TREES. GEAR WAS DOWN, FLAPS WERE UP AND NEITHER ENG WAS FEATHERED AT IMPACT. PLT STATED THAT HE KNEW HE WAS OUT OF GAS WHEN BOTH ENGS QUIT AND THAT HE DID NOT ATTEMPT AN AIR START.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,553 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,645 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 1986; 137 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,725 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-541-E1C4 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SJT San Angelo TX at 1:35 pm
- Destination: SAT San Antonio TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:47 pm from SJT, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.