Beech E-18S and Beech C-45H mid-air collision near Natchez, Mississippi, December 9, 1987
On December 9, 1987 at about 8:30 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Beech E-18S (N24JE) and Beech C-45H (N492DM), were involved in a mid-air collision near Natchez, Mississippi. No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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 9, 1987 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Natchez, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Beech E-18S · all E-18Ss on the register
- Registration
- N24JE · no longer on the register · serial BA330
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Beech C-45H · all C-45Hs on the register
- Registration
- N492DM · registry record · serial 5210874
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Beech E-18S final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TWO ACFT WERE REGISTERED TO THE SAME PERSON & THE PILOTS WERE FRIENDS OF EACH OTHER. THE ACFT DEPARTED FROM THE SAME AIRPORT AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME & WERE BOUND FOR THE SAME DESTINATION ON AN IFR FLT PLAN, N24JE AT 8000 FT, N492DM AT 4000 FT. LATER BOTH CANCELLED IFR & PROCEEDED VISUALLY. THE PLTS WERE IN TWO WAY RADIO CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER & AGREED TO EACH ADJUST THEIR ALT TO 6500 FT. THEY MAINTAINED VISUAL SEPARATION FROM EACH OTHER ABOUT 1 MI ABREAST. THEY STATED THAT THEY LOST VISUAL CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE PLT OF N24JE STATED THAT HE NEXT SAW THE OTHER ACFT AHEAD & TO HIS RIGHT & HE BANKED HARD TO THE LEFT IN ORDER TO AVOID A COLLISION, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. THE RIGHT LEADING EDGE OF THE WING OF N24JE STRUCK THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE LEFT WING OF N492DM. BOTH ACFT WERE ABLE TO LAND SAFELY & DENIED THEY WERE FLYING OR ATTEMPTING TO FLY FORMATION WITH EACH OTHER.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Beech C-45H final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TWO ACFT WERE REGISTERED TO THE SAME PERSON & THE PILOTS WERE FRIENDS OF EACH OTHER. THE ACFT DEPARTED FROM THE SAME AIRPORT AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME & WERE BOUND FOR THE SAME DESTINATION ON AN IFR FLT PLAN, N24JE AT 8000 FT, N492DM AT 4000 FT. LATER BOTH CANCELLED IFR & PROCEEDED VISUALLY. THE PLTS WERE IN TWO WAY RADIO CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER & AGREED TO EACH ADJUST THEIR ALT TO 6500 FT. THEY MAINTAINED VISUAL SEPARATION FROM EACH OTHER ABOUT 1 MI ABREST. THEY STATED THAT THEY LOST VISUAL CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE PLT OF N24JE STATED THAT HE NEXT SAW THE OTHER ACFT AHEAD & TO HIS RIGHT & HE BANKED HARD TO THE LEFT IN ORDER TO AVOID A COLLISION, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. THE RIGHT LA\EADING EDGE OF THE WING OF N24JE STRUCK THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE LEFT WING OF N492DM. BOTH ACFT WERE ABLE TO LAND SAFELY & DENIED THEY WERE FLYING OR ATTEMPTING TO FLY FORMATION WITH EACH OTHER.
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 for the Beech E-18S from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,051 hours in all; 3,736 in this make and model; 317 in the last 90 days; 6,988 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,824 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 19, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 9,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R985 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aerovation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MSY New Orleans LA
- Destination: LIT Little Rock AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:29 pm from MCB, 58 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Beech C-45H from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 9,300 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R985 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MSY New Orleans LA
- Destination: LITL Little Rock AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
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.