Beech B95A accident near St. Augustine, Florida, April 20, 1986
On April 20, 1986 at about 1:15 am local time, a Beech B95A, registered N951Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Augustine, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- April 20, 1986 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- St. Augustine, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B95A · all B95As on the register
- Registration
- N951Q · no longer on the register · serial TD-491
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT IN COMMAND DID NOT ASSURE THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR FOR THE LEFT ENGINE WAS SELECTED AND IN THE DETENT PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. ON THE INITIAL CLIMB THE FUEL SELECTOR MOVED SLIGHTLY AND THE LEFT ENGINE FAILED DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. THE PILOT THEN DID NOT EXECUTE THE APPROPRIATE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND LEFT THE LANDING GEAR DOWN AND DID NOT FEATHER THE LEFT PROPELLER. THE PILOT THEN LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND CRASHED INTO THE WATER.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,097 hours in all; 155 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 754 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,719 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1985; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: SFB Sanford FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.