Beech 95-C55 accident near Jacksonville, Florida, May 2, 1985
On May 2, 1985 at about 6:07 pm local time, a Beech 95-C55, registered N9442S, was destroyed in an accident near Jacksonville, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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 2, 1985 · about 6:07 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-C55 · all 95-C55s on the register
- Registration
- N9442S · no longer on the register · serial TE-52
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS ON THE LAST LEG OF A FLT THAT ORIGINATED THAT MORNING AT JACKSONVILLE, THEN PROCEEDED TO DAYTONA BEACH, THEN ON TO CRESTVIEW, FL. WHILE ON THE RETURN FLT TO JACKSONVILLE, THE RIGHT ENG LOST POWER AS THE ACFT WAS APPROACHING ITS DESTINATION. THE PLT STATED THAT HE TRIED TO RESTART THE RIGHT ENG, BUT WAS UNABLE, SO HE SECURED IT. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE LEFT ENG ALSO LOST POWER & THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND IN AN OPEN FIELD. HOWEVER, DURING THE APPROACH, THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO CLEAR TREES AT THE EDGE OF THE FIELD. AFTER IMPACTING THE TREES, THE ACFT CRASHED IN THE FIELD. NO FUEL WAS OBSERVED IN THE WRECKAGE. THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE USED ONLY THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATORS TO CHECK THE FUEL PRIOR TO THE FLT.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,519 hours in all; 124 in this make and model; 59 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 8,492 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 24,607 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 21, 1984; 397 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-C5B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CEW Crestview FL
- Destination: CRG Jacksonville FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:13 pm from JAX, 4 miles away
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.