Beech 58P accident near Dunedin, Florida, February 17, 1988
On February 17, 1988, a Beech 58P, registered N444MB, was destroyed in an accident near Dunedin, Florida (St. Petersburg Clearwater airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were 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
- February 17, 1988
- Place
- Dunedin, Florida · St. Petersburg Clearwater
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58P · all 58Ps on the register
- Registration
- N444MB · no longer on the register · serial TJ-164
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FLT WAS BEING VECTORED FOR PRACTICE ILS APPROACH IN VFR CONDITIONS WHILE THE PLT-IN-COMMAND WAS RECEIVING A BIENNIAL FLT REVIEW. RADAR DATA SHOWED THE ACFT CONSTANTLY VEERING TO THE LEFT OFF ASSIGNED HEADING AND WITNESSES REPORTED ONLY HEARING ONE ENGINE RUNNING. THE ACFT'S SPEED SLOWED TO APPROXIMATELY 87 KNOTS AS SEEN ON RADAR AS THE ACFT WAS IN A LEFT BANK. THE ACFT'S RIGHT WING DROPPED AND THE ACFT ROLLED UPSIDE DOWN TO THE RIGHT AND ENTERED A SPIN CRASHING INTO THE YARD OF A HOUSE. WITNESSES HEARD THE ENGINES GO TO FULL POWER AS THE ACFT ENTERED A SPIN.
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: 1,010 hours in all; 817 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 875 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,101 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 13, 1987; 225 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: PIE Clearwater FL at 11:24 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17L, 7,990 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.