Beech E185 accident near Wauchula, Florida, January 13, 1990
On January 13, 1990 at about 2:25 am local time, a Beech E185, registered N50BP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wauchula, Florida (Wauchula Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF AIR PRESSURE IN THE LEFT MAIN TIRE DURING FLIGHT, WHICH RESULTED IN A GROUND SWERVE DURING THE LANDING AND A NOSE OVER AS THE PILOT WAS CORRECTING WITH OPPOSITE BRAKE AND RUDDER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 13, 1990 · about 2:25 am local time
- Place
- Wauchula, Florida · Wauchula Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E185
- Registration
- N50BP · no longer on the register · serial BA-455
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR TIRE DEFLATED IN FLIGHT. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT & SUBSEQUENTLY NOSED OVER AS THE PILOT WAS APPLYING RIGHT RUDDER & BRAKE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.
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, flight engineer, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,000 hours in all; 109 in this make and model; 241 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 6,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,240 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 9, 1989; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985-14B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FLL Ft Lauderdale FL at 1:20 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:48 am from SRQ, 37 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.