Beech 95-B55 accident near Lakeland, Florida, October 9, 2005
On October 9, 2005 at about 2:42 pm local time, a Beech 95-B55, registered N6413S, was destroyed in an accident near Lakeland, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot-in-command to abort the takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 9, 2005 · about 2:42 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeland, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-B55 · all 95-B55s on the register
- Registration
- N6413S · no longer on the register · serial TC-1923
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Before takeoff the main fuel tanks were filled; postaccident testing of a specimen of fuel from the truck that fueled the accident airplane revealed the sample met specification for 100 Low Lead fuel. An engine run-up before takeoff was performed by the pilot-rated passenger in the left front seat and the rpm decrease when checking each magneto was approximately 75. The flight was cleared to takeoff from runway 27 with all runway available (8,500 feet), and the pilot reported the airplane became airborne in no more than 2,000 feet. The Pilot's Operating Handbook and FAA Approved Airplane Flight Manual (POH/AFM) indicates that based on the conditions at the time of the accident, the total distance to clear a 50-foot obstacle was 2,250 feet. The pilot reportedly climbed at blue-line airspeed and kept the landing gear retracted until insufficient runway remained to land where he was flying at 50 feet above ground level. The POH/AFM indicates that the airplane was capable of climbing at 800 feet-per-minute with the landing gear and flaps extended, and full power on both engines. The controller reported that the airplane was climbing "very slow", and he did not hear of a loss of engine power nor did he see smoke trailing from the engines during takeoff. The pilot reported that when he retracted the landing gear, the engine sound decreased and he sensed the airplane was not accelerating, but this was not indicated on the engine gauges, nor was it indicated by the airplane yawing,so he did not check for an engine out. He confirmed the throttle, mixture, and propeller controls were full forward, and a short time later he heard the stall warning horn and pitched down to maintain blue-line airspeed. He thought about returning to the departure airport but lost altitude during a turn. He lowered the landing gear, flew under powerlines, and impacted in a field in a wings level attitude. All occupants exited the airplane which was destroyed by the postcrash fire. Examination of the engines following recovery revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. Postcrash fire damage to the engine accessories and controls precluded bench or operational testing.
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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 750 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 680 as pilot in command; 400 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Crew member
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,208 hours in all; 125 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,111 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,633.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: KLAL Lakeland FL at 2:41 pm
- Destination: KFMY Fort Myers FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,300 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.78 inHg
- Observation at 2:48 pm from KLAL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N6413S 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.
