Beech K-35 accident near Crescent City, Florida, December 1, 1987
On December 1, 1987 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Beech K-35, registered N125LE, was destroyed in an accident near Crescent City, Florida (Eagle Nest Aeroborne airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- December 1, 1987 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Crescent City, Florida · Eagle Nest Aeroborne
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech K-35 · all K-35s on the register
- Registration
- N125LE · no longer on the register · serial D-6063
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL ENGINE FAILURE AT LIFT OFF WITH 1/2 OF THE RUNWAY REMAINING IN FRONT OF HIM. THE PILOT THEN ATTEMPTED TO DO A 180 DEGREE TEARDROP BACK TO THE RUNWAY, STALLED AND CRASHED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED WATER CONTAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM.
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: 19,666 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,092 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 9, 1987; 91 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Crescent City FL at 1:46 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:48 pm from GNV, 27 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.