Beech A36 accident near Ormond Beach, Florida, October 29, 1993
On October 29, 1993 at about 4:00 am local time, a Beech A36, registered N888AS, was destroyed in an accident near Ormond Beach, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE PILOT, DUE TO CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL AND USE OF DRUGS, AND HIS FAILURE (OR INABILITY) TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE (OR CLEARANCE) ABOVE WATER AT NIGHT. DARKNESS WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 1993 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Ormond Beach, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N888AS · registry record · serial E-1365
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS OBSERVED DEPARTING A BAR AT ABOUT 0230 WITH A TWELVE PACK OF BEER & 2 PERSONS THAT WERE LATER IDENTIFIED AS PASSENGERS OF THE AIRPLANE. HIS BODY & THOSE OF THE 2 PASSENGERS WASHED ASHORE THE NEXT DAY. MOST OF THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT RECOVERED, BUT SOME PARTS OF IT ALSO WASHED ASHORE. THESE INCLUDED AIRCRAFT SEATS THAT WERE TORN FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE TRACKS & A SECTION OF THE LEFT WING THAT BORE THE AIRCRAFT SERIAL NUMBER IN BLACK INK. TOXICOLOGY TESTS OF THE PILOT'S BLOOD WERE POSITIVE FOR ETHANOL (144 MG/DL), ACETALDEHYDE (20 MG/DL), TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL CARBOYLIC ACID (MARIJUANA/ 0.004 UG/ML), DIAZIPAM (0.16 UG/ML), NORDIAZEPAM (0.179 UG/ML), BENZOYLECGONINE (0.378 UG/ML) & HYDROCODONE (0.019 UG/ML). HIS URINE WAS POSITIVE FOR ETHANOL (227 MG/DL), ACETALDEHYDE (6 MG/DL), TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL CARBOXYLIC ACID (0.026 UG/ML), COCAINE (1.642 UG/ML), ICGONINE METHYL ESTER (0.982 MG/ML), & ACETAMINOPHEN (5.7 UG/ML). ALSO, COCAETHYLENE, OXAZEPAM, HYDROCODINE & HYDROMORPHONE WERE DETECTED IN HIS URINE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 700 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OMN at 4:00 am
- Destination: OMN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 am from DAB, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.