Beech 95-A55 accident near Babylon, New York, January 24, 1987
On January 24, 1987 at about 9:02 pm local time, a Beech 95-A55, registered N9555Y, was destroyed in an accident near Babylon, New York (Republic airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 24, 1987 · about 9:02 pm local time
- Place
- Babylon, New York · Republic · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-A55 · all 95-A55s on the register
- Registration
- N9555Y · registry record · serial TC351
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BEECH BARON HAD BEEN CRUISING AT ALTITUDE FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS WHEN IT STARTED A DESCENT WITH THE OAT WELL BELOW FREEZING. DURING THE DESCENT THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO ADD POWER AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THE PILOT TURNED ON THE BOOST PUMPS TO HIGH AND STILL THE FUEL PRESSURE GAUGE DID NOT RESPOND. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A WIDE ROAD, THE AIRCRAFT CLIPPED A GUARD RAIL, SPUN AROUND AND WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS ESCAPED UNINJURED. INVESTIGATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM SHOWED WATER IN BOTH FUEL MANIFOLDS. A SMALL PIECE OF ICE WAS FOUND IN THE BOTTOM OF THE RIGHT FUEL STRAINER. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DRAINED THE MAIN FUEL TANK DRAIN AND THE CROSSFEED DRAIN. THE AUXILIARY FUEL TANK DRAIN AND THE FUEL STRAINER DRAINS WERE NOT DRAINED.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 32,200 hours in all; 1,560 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 30,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,675 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,880 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental I0-470L (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CRE No.Myrtle Beach SC
- Destination: FRG Farmingdale NY
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.