Beech 55 incident near Rigby, Idaho, July 15, 1987
On July 15, 1987 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Beech 55, registered N321MB, suffered minor damage in an incident near Rigby, Idaho. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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 incident. 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
- July 15, 1987 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rigby, Idaho · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 55
- Registration
- N321MB · no longer on the register · serial TC1114
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING DESCENT FOR LANDING, WITH BOTH ENGINES BEING FED FROM THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK, A LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE ON A WHEAT FIELD AND DURING LANDING ROLLOUT THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A DITCH. INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO FUEL REMAINING ON BOARD IN EITHER THE AUX TANKS OR THE MAIN TANKS. HOWEVER, WITH THE MASTER SWITCH ON, THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL GAUGE READ MORE THAN 1/4 TANK REMAINING.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,891 hours in all; 131 in this make and model; 81 in the last 90 days; 11,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 14, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental I0-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WYS W.Yellowstone MT at 9:15 pm
- Destination: IDA Idaho Falls ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N321MB the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.