Beech E18S accident near West Palm Bch, Florida, May 6, 1985
On May 6, 1985 at about 10:14 pm local time, a Beech E18S, registered N57AE, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Palm Bch, Florida (Palm Beach Intl airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries; 4 others were unhurt. 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 6, 1985 · about 10:14 pm local time
- Place
- West Palm Bch, Florida · Palm Beach Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 4 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E18S · all E18Ss on the register
- Registration
- N57AE · registry record · serial BA-57
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG TAKEOFF FROM RWY 13, THE L ENG LOST PWR AFTER THE ACFT HAD CLIMBED TO ABOUT 200' AGL & ACCELLERATED TO APRX 125 KTS WITH THE GEAR & FLAPS RETRACTED. THE PLT ABORTED THE TAKEOFF & TURNED THE ACFT TO LAND ON RWY 9. HOWEVER, IT TOUCHED DWNIN THE GRASS AFTER PASSING THE INTX OF RWYS 9 & 13, HEADING APRX 110 DEG. AFTER LANDING, THE ACFT CONTINUED ACROSS A TAXIWAY. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE NOSE GEAR FAILED, THE ACFT NOSED DWN & BOTH PROPS STRUCK THE GND. THE R ENG MOUNTS FAILED, & RPRTDLY, THE ACFT LUNGED AS THE R ENG FOLDED UNDER THE WING. A PAX, WHOSE SEAT BELT WAS LOOSE, WAS THROWN FROMHER SEAT & WAS INJURED. WATER & PRODUCES OF CORROSION WERE FND IN THE L AUX FUEL TANK & IN THE LINES & STRAINER FOR THE L ENG. AN EXAM OF THE COMPANY CREW TRAINING RECORDS & ACFT MAINT RECORDS REVEALED NUMEROUS OMISSIONS, IMPROPER ENTRIES &FAILURE TO DOCUMENT PURPORTED MAINT. THESE ERRORS HAD OCCURRED PRIOR TO & CONTINUED AFTER THE FAA HAD APPROVED ISSUANCE OF AN AIR CARRIER OPERATIONS CERTIFICATE FOR THE COMPANY. THE PAX'S RPRTD THERE WAS NO PREFLT PAX BRIEFING BFR TAKEOFF.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,647 hours in all; 2,130 in this make and model; 227 in the last 90 days; 15,297 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 22,977 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, May 1, 1985; 143 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,700 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985-14B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Airsouth, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: PBI
- Destination: FLL Ft.Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 13, 6,930 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 pm from PBI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 |
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.