Beech H18 accident near Utica, New York, June 1, 1988
On June 1, 1988 at about 12:50 pm local time, a Beech H18, registered N20PA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Utica, New York. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- June 1, 1988 · about 12:50 pm local time
- Place
- Utica, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech H18 · all H18s on the register
- Registration
- N20PA · no longer on the register · serial BA-694
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT HAD DEPARTED SYRACUSE AIRPORT ENROUTE TO PLATTSBURG, NEW YORK TRANSPORTING UPS PACKAGES. AT ABOUT 0810 HOURS, A LOSS OF POWER ON THE LEFT ENGINE WAS EXPERIENCED AND ALTITUDE COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED. THE PILOT INFORMED GRIFFISS CONTROL THAT HE COULD NOT MAKE THE ONEIDA NOR HANCOCK AIRPORTS AND WAS MAKING A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON UNEVEN TERRAIN AND THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. DURING ENGINE TEARDOWN IT WAS REVEALED THAT THE NO.3 ROD AND PISTON HAD BROKEN.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,019 hours in all; 755 in this make and model; 105 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 5,892 as pilot in command; 800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,867 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 1988; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,900 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985-AN14B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sair Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: SYR Syracuse NY at 11:45 am
- Destination: PLB Plattsburg NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.