Beech 58 accident near Orlando, Florida, June 23, 1995
On June 23, 1995 at about 1:16 pm local time, a Beech 58, registered N4403Q, was destroyed in an accident near Orlando, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO INSURE THE LANDING GEAR WAS RETRACTED FOLLOWING LOSS OF POWER IN ONE ENGINE RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT BEING UNABLE TO CLIMB AND CLEAR TREES IN THE AIRCRAFT'S FLIGHT PATH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 1995 · about 1:16 pm local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N4403Q · no longer on the register · serial TH-809
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF ON RWY 7, THE PILOT REPORTED TO FAA CONTROLLERS HE HAD AN ENGINE FAILURE. THE CONTROLLERS OBSERVED THE LANDING GEAR RETRACT AT THIS TIME AND THEN IMMEDIATELY EXTEND. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT AT TREE TOP LEVEL MAKING A TURN TO THE NORTH WITH THE LANDING GEAR DOWN AND THE LEFT ENGINE SHUTDOWN AND THE PROPELLER FEATHERED. THE ACFT DESCENDED AND STRUCK THE TOP OF A TREE WITH THE WINGS LEVEL. THE ACFT THEN ROLLED TO THE RIGHT 90 DEGREES AND STRUCK THE GROUND. THE ACFT THEN CARTWHEELED AND SLID BACKWARDS INTO A TREE WHERE IT CAME TO REST. EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT ENGINE SHOWED THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP DRIVE COUPLING WAS ROUNDED OFF AND NOT TURNING THE PUMP. THE DRIVE COUPLING WAS TOO SHORT FOR THE MODEL FUEL PUMP DRIVE SHAFT. A 1993 FAA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE THAT CALLS FOR CHECKING FOR THE PROPER LENGTH DRIVE COUPLING HAD NOT BEEN COMPLIED WITH. THE FLIGHT MANUAL FOR THE ACFT STATES THAT THE FIRST ACTION TO BE PERFORMED BY THE PILOT AFTER ENGINE FAILURE IS TO RAISE THE LANDING GEAR. THE MANUAL ALSO STATES THAT SINGLE ENGINE PERFORMANCE IS PREDICATED ON THE LANDING GEAR BEING RETRACTED.
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 instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,700 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 6,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,109 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 13, 1995; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-CB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Air Orlando Charter, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: ORL at 1:15 pm
- Destination: JAX Jacksonville FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:22 pm from ORL, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.