Beech F-33A accident near Reddington Bch., Florida, April 8, 1989
On April 8, 1989 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Beech F-33A, registered N599WB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reddington Bch., Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 1989 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Reddington Bch., Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech F-33A · all F-33As on the register
- Registration
- N599WB · registry record · serial CE-1272
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT AND THE RATED PILOT/OWNER WERE CLIMBING DURING A DUAL INSTRUMENT TRAINING FLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED. THEY BOTH ATTEMPTED MULTIPLE ENGINE RE-STARTS TO NO AVAIL. THEY DITCHED THE AIRPLANE, IT SANK AND THEY WERE RESCUED. AFTER THE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERED, THE ENGINE WAS RINSED AND RESERVICED WITH OIL. THE ENGINE STARTED AND PERFORMED NORMALLY.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 279 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 187 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 130 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 25, 1988; 130 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,412 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TPA Tampa FL at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from PIE, 11 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.