Beech 95 accident near Destin, Florida, July 17, 1988
On July 17, 1988 at about 1:17 pm local time, a Beech 95, registered N669Q, was destroyed in an accident near Destin, Florida (Destin-Fort Walton Beach airport). It was a personal 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
- July 17, 1988 · about 1:17 pm local time
- Place
- Destin, Florida · Destin-Fort Walton Beach · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95 · all 95s on the register
- Registration
- N669Q · no longer on the register · serial TD-339
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT REPORTED ARPT IN SIGHT AND WAS CLEARED FOR VISUAL APPROACH. WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING ACFT ON LEFT DOWNWIND & SAID IT FLEW INTO A THUNDERSHOWER. THE FLT WAS NOT HEARD FROM AGAIN. THE ACFT'S WRECKAGE WAS FOUND IN THE BAY 1 1/4 MILES NORTH OF THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION INDICATED THE ACFT STRUCK THE WATER LEFT WING LOW. NO EVIDENCE WAS NOTED TO INDICATE ACFT, FLT CONTROL, OR ENGINE MALFUNCTION. RADAR PHOTOS INDICATED A LEVEL 3 THUNDERSHOWER AT THE CRASH SITE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,200 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 2,925 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,435 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1988; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DHN Dothan AL at 12:36 pm
- Destination: 81J Destin FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from VPC, 4 miles away
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.