Beech 65 accident near Caribbean Sea, August 16, 1995
On August 16, 1995 at about 11:20 am local time, a Beech 65, registered N5078C, was destroyed in an accident near Caribbean Sea. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE INABILITY OF THE PILOT TO FEATHER THE PROPELLER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 1995 · about 11:20 am local time
- Place
- Caribbean Sea
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 65 · all 65s on the register
- Registration
- N5078C · registry record · serial LF-12
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED HE NOTED A LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE AND A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER OF THE RIGHT ENGINE DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. THE ENGINE THEN LOST POWER, AND THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO FEATHER THE RIGHT PROPELLER. THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND THE PILOT DITCHED THE AIRPLANE ABOUT 75 MI SE OF ST. CROIX. AFTER EXITING THE AIRPLANE, THE PILOT INFLATED A RAFT, AND WAS FOUND BY RESCUE PERSONNEL ABOUT 4 HRS LATER. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT RECOVERED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,800 hours in all; 950 in this make and model; 185 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 1,445 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,650 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 2, 1995; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-720-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: STX St Croix at 10:30 am
- Destination: TDCF Canefield, Dr OF
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 am from STX, 75 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.