Beech H35 accident near Port Mansfield, Texas, November 25, 1987
On November 25, 1987 at about 3:32 pm local time, a Beech H35, registered N5568D, was destroyed in an accident near Port Mansfield, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 25, 1987 · about 3:32 pm local time
- Place
- Port Mansfield, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech H35 · all H35s on the register
- Registration
- N5568D · no longer on the register · serial D-5127
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RCVD SVRL WX BRIEFINGS BFR TKOF & WAS ADZD OF CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY ALONG THE INITIAL ROUTE OF FLT NORTH OF THE ARPT. THE PLANNED DEP ROUTE WAS TWD THE WX. WHILE DISCUSSING ALTN ROUTING POSSIBILITIES, THE PLT INDCD HE WOULD ASK ATC FOR DEVIATION ARND THE WX AFTER TKOF. AFTER TKOF, HE CTCD HOUSTON ARTCC & RPRTD CLMBG TO 4000'. THE CTLR (WHO HAD JUST COME ON DUTY) WASN'T EXPECTING THE ACFT & DIDN'T SEE A FLT PROGRESS SLIP FOR N5568D. A DISCUSSION FLWD CONCERNING THE STATUS OF THE FLT PLAN WITH THE CTLR FINALLY CLRG N5568D TO MAINT 4000'. SOON THEREAFTER, RADIO CTC WAS LOST & THE ACFT CRASHED IN WATER (LAGUNA MADRE) ABT 8 MI NORTH OF THE ARPT IN AN AREA OF TSTMS & LOW OVC. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE ACFT CRASHED IN ABOUT A 10 DEG NOSE DWN ATTITUDE. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND. THE RELIEVED ARTCC CTLR SAID HE ADZD THE RELIEVING CTLR THAT N5568D HAD A CLNC, BUT HADN'T RPRTD AIRBORNE. THE RELIEVING CTLR SAID HIS VIEW OF THE FLT PROGRESS SLIP WAS BLOCKED & HE DIDN'T SEE THE SLIP UNTIL 1 MIN LTR. THE PLT HADN'T LOGGED ANY RECENT INST APCHS.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 981 hours in all; 625 in this make and model; 712 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,984 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 3, 1987; 127 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-470-G1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T05 Port Mansfield TX at 3:32 pm
- Destination: F54 Arlington TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from HRL, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.