Beech D50E accident near Okeechobee, Florida, September 29, 1995
On September 29, 1995 at about 8:50 pm local time, a Beech D50E, registered N9351Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Okeechobee, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONDUCT A FEATHERING CHECK OF THE RIGHT PROPELLER AT AN ALTITUDE INADEQUATE FOR A SAFE ENGINE RESTART OR REFEATHERING OF THE PROPELLER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 29, 1995 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Okeechobee, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D50E · all D50Es on the register
- Registration
- N9351Y · no longer on the register · serial DH-301
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT CONTACTED THE AIRPORT OPERATOR AT THE OKEECHOBEE AIRPORT AND ASKED THAT HE STEP OUTSIDE AND OBSERVE HIS RIGHT PROPELLER AS HE FLEW OVER AND PERFORMED A FEATHERING CHECK. THE OPERATOR STEPPED OUT AND OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLY OVER THE AIRPORT AT 1,000 FEET, AND OBSERVED THE RIGHT PROPELLER GO INTO THE FEATHERED POSITION AND STOP ROTATING. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHEN HE UNFEATHERED THE PROPELLER THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START AND HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE WITH THE PROPELLER WINDMILLING. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A FIELD. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE RIGHT PROPELLER SHOWED THE PROPELLER WAS LOCKED IN A LOW BLADE ANGLE BY THE MECHANICAL LOCKS. THE PROPELLER AND MECHANICAL LOCKS OPERATED NORMALLY.
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: 10,000 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 23, 1995; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming GO-480-F6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LNA Lantana FL at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 1,300 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from FPR, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA95LA241.