Beech 55 accident near Ft. Myers, Florida, February 15, 1986
On February 15, 1986 at about 11:33 pm local time, a Beech 55, registered N163Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ft. Myers, Florida (Ft. Myers airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- February 15, 1986 · about 11:33 pm local time
- Place
- Ft. Myers, Florida · Ft. Myers · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 55
- Registration
- N163Q · registry record · serial TC-671
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT HE HAD EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE & BECAUSE IT WAS GETTING DARK, HE COULD NOT SEE THE MECHANICAL LANDING GEAR POSITION INDICATOR. HE SAID THAT HE PERFORMED A 'GUMP' CHECK & VERIFIED THAT THE GEAR HANDLE WAS IN THE DOWN POSITION, BUT THE GEAR POSITION LIGHTS WERE OUT. THE PLT STATED THAT THE GEAR WARNING HORN DID NOT SOUND & A GEAR-UP LANDING WAS PERFORMED. A POST ACCIDENT EXAM REVEALED THAT THE BATTERY WAS DEAD & THE RADIO, LIGHTS, TRANSPONDER & ROTATING BEACON SWITCHES WERE IN THE ON POSITION. BOTH GENERATOR SWITCHES WERE IN THE OFF POSITION. AFTER THE BATTERY WAS CHARGED, ALL SYSTEMS AND LIGHTS WORKED NORMALLY, THE PLT SAID HE DID NOT CONNECT THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE LANDING GEAR. HE STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF HE HAD VERIFIED THE GEAR POSITION BY THE MECHANICAL GEAR POSITION INDICATOR WITH HIS FLASHLIGHT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,195 hours in all; 210 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 1,120 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 15, 1985; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X00 Pt Of The Isle FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 4,998 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 330° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from FMY
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.