Beech E18S incident near Reno, Nevada, November 12, 1987
On November 12, 1987 at about 1:30 am local time, a Beech E18S, registered N25SM, suffered minor damage in an incident near Reno, Nevada. 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 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
- November 12, 1987 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Reno, Nevada
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E18S · all E18Ss on the register
- Registration
- N25SM · no longer on the register · serial BA-154
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, AND AFTER THE LANDING GEAR WAS RAISED, THE PILOT NOTICED AN OVER-TEMPERATURE OF THE RIGHT ENGINE. A POWER REDUCTION WAS MADE AND AFTERWARDS SYMPTOMS OF A COMPRESSOR STALL OCCURRED. THE PILOT THEN SHUT DOWN THE RIGHT ENGINE. A 180 DEGREE TURN WAS MADE. DURING THE TURN THE COCKPIT FILLED WITH SMOKE WITH FLAMES VISIBLE COMING FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE AREA. THE RIGHT FIRE BOTTLE WAS DISCHARGED BUT THE FIRE CONTINUED. WHEN THE LANDING GEAR WAS LOWERED THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED ITSELF. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE SNAP RING TO THE RIGHT ENGINE OIL TEMPERATURE RELIEF VALVE WAS MISSING. THE RIGHT ENGINE OIL TEMPERATURE RELIEF VALVE WAS FOUND ON THE FLOOR OF THE ENGINE NACELLE. THE RT ENGINE HAD BEEN REPLACED 1.8 HOURS PRIOR TO THIS FLT DUE TO FOD. ENGINE OIL HAD ESCAPED AFTER THE RELIEF VALVE SEPARATED. OIL HAD ACCUMULATED IN THE WHEEL WELL, WING AND ENG NACELLE. THE OIL WAS IGNITED, FEEDING THE INFLIGHT FIRE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,964 hours in all; 403 in this make and model; 213 in the last 90 days; 2,756 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,696 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,300 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6-6A (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RNO Reno NV at 1:25 am
- Destination: SFO San Francisco CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 34, 8,500 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.