Beech 95-C55 accident near Wauchula, Florida, June 7, 1994
On June 7, 1994 at about 6:56 pm local time, a Beech 95-C55, registered N966N, was destroyed in an accident near Wauchula, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
DELAY BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO OBTAIN WEATHER AVOIDANCE ASSISTANCE FROM THE ARTCC CONTROLLER RESULTING IN THE INFLIGHT BREAKUP AFTER ENCOUNTER WITH A THUNDERSTORM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 1994 · about 6:56 pm local time
- Place
- Wauchula, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-C55 · all 95-C55s on the register
- Registration
- N966N · no longer on the register · serial TE-366
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A WEATHER BRIEFING THE PILOT ADVISED THE BRIEFER THAT ON A PREVIOUS FLIGHT THE CENTER CONTROLLER WAS PROVIDING VECTORS AROUND WEATHER. AFTER DEPARTURE DURING CRUISE FLIGHT WITHOUT ONBOARD WEATHER AVOIDANCE RADAR, THE CENTER CONTROLLER ADVISED THE PILOT OF WEATHER 10 MILES AHEAD BUT THAT OTHER AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN PICKING THEIR WAY THROUGH IT AND THE FLIGHT WAS CLEARED TO DEVIATE. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED WITHOUT DEVIATING OR REQUESTING ASSISTANCE BEFORE ENCOUNTERING THE WEATHER AND A SHORT TIME LATER THE PILOT REQUESTED ASSISTANCE FROM THE CONTROLLER TO GET OUT OF THE WEATHER ENCOUNTERED. THE CONTROLLER PROVIDED A HEADING TO FLY BUT RADAR AND RADIO CONTACT WERE LOST SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED AN INFLIGHT BREAKUP. EXAMINATION OF ALL FRACTURE SURFACES REVEALED EVIDENCE OF OVERLOAD FAILURE. NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE IF THE AUTOPILOT SYSTEM WAS ENGAGED. THE ENGINES WERE EXAMINED WITH NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,607 hours in all; 2,457 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-C2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 68J Havana FL at 5:23 pm
- Destination: EYW Key West FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from LAL, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.