Beech 58P accident near Bellevue, Washington, June 18, 1988
On June 18, 1988 at about 9:06 pm local time, a Beech 58P, registered N17795, was destroyed in an accident near Bellevue, Washington. It was a personal 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
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 18, 1988 · about 9:06 pm local time
- Place
- Bellevue, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58P · all 58Ps on the register
- Registration
- N17795 · no longer on the register · serial TJ-95
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT 20 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS ADDED ON MAY 18 AND STATED THIS BROUGHT THE MAIN TANKS UP TO NEAR FULL (160 GAL). BETWEEN THAT FUELING AND THE ACC A TOTAL OF 6.0 HOURS WERE RECORDED AND AN ADDITIONAL 80 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS ADDED. RECORDS AT THE ACC SITE REVEALED THAT THE FUEL BURN RATE OF THE ACFT WAS 40 GAL/HR (TOTAL). THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE RELIED ON THE EXTERNAL WING SITE GAUGES AND KNOWN FUEL ADDED FOR FUEL INFORMATION RATHER THAN THE COCKPIT GAUGES WHICH HE CONSIDERED UNRELIABLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE PLT PREFERRED NOT TO 'TOP OFF' THE FUEL SYSTEM TO KEEP THE ACFT WEIGHT LOW. AFTER DEPARTING FOR THE 98 NM RETURN TRIP TO SEATTLE THE ACFT EXHAUSTED ALL FUEL ABOARD APPROX 8 NM SHORT OF DEST. THE PLT THEN EXECUTED A FORCED LDG ONTO A DIVIDED RESIDENTIAL STREET WHICH WAS THE ONLY SUITABLE TERRAIN AVAILABLE. DURING THE LDG THE ACFT STRUCK A LIGHT POLE AND VEHICLE. POST ACC INVEST REVEALED THAT THE ACFT WAS NOT REFUELED AT CHELAN, WA FOR THE RETURN TRIP.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,108 hours in all; 9 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,124 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 7, 1988; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,995 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-L(4) (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S10 Chelan WA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: BFI Seattle WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from BFI, 8 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.