Beech A36TC accident near Orlando, Florida, February 21, 1987
On February 21, 1987 at about 7:56 pm local time, a Beech A36TC, registered N47EE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Orlando, Florida (Orlando Executive airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were 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
- February 21, 1987 · about 7:56 pm local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · Orlando Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36TC · all A36TCs on the register
- Registration
- N47EE · registry record · serial EA-272
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG THE TAKEOFF ROLL, LGT COLORED SMOKE WAS SEEN TRAILING THE THE ACFT. THE PLT RPRTD THAT AT 100 TO 200 FT AGL, THE ENGLOST PARTIAL PWR. HE SAID HE CHECKED ALL CTLS & RAISED THE LNDG GEAR. WITNESSES RPRTD THAT AT ABOUT THAT TIME, HEAVY SMOKE BGN TRAILING THE ACFT & THE ENG BACKFIRED & QUIT. THE PLT SAID THE SAFETY PLT THEN TOOK CTL & ATMTD TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THE ACFT STALLED, DSCNDD OUT OF CTL & CRASHED AT THE EDGE OF A LAKE. RSN FOR THE INITIAL PWR LOSS WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE ELEC BOOST PUMP WAS FND IN THE HI PSN AFTER THE ACDNT. THE FLT MANUAL WARNED THAT THE HI BOOST PUMP MUST NOT BE USED UNLESS THE ENG DRIVEN FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED; OTHERWISE, INCREASED PRESSURE FM THE HI BOOSTPUMP WOULD RESULT IN ENG ROUGHNESS; IN SOME CASES, ENG COMBUSTION MAY CEASE. THE ENG OPERATED NORMALLY IN A TEST CELL AFTER THE ACDNT. WHEN ANOTHER ENG WAS TESTED, LOSS OF PWR OCCURRED 3 TO 5 SEC AFTER THE HI BOOST PUMP WAS ACTIVATED. ALSO, A CRACK WAS FND IN THE TURBOCHARGER INLET PIPE, BUT DUPLICATION OF THIS RESULTED IN ONLY A MINOR PWR LOSS.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 278 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 830 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 23, 1986; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,650 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-UB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: MLB Melbourne FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 7, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; scat at 600 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from ORL, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.