Beech 58P accident near Ketchikan, Alaska, February 1, 1988
On February 1, 1988 at about 5:29 pm local time, a Beech 58P, registered N3689D, was destroyed in an accident near Ketchikan, Alaska (Ketchikan airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- February 1, 1988 · about 5:29 pm local time
- Place
- Ketchikan, Alaska · Ketchikan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58P · all 58Ps on the register
- Registration
- N3689D · no longer on the register · serial TJ301
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES 1400 FT SHORT OF RWY DURING ILS APPROACH. THE ACFT WAS LEFT OF CENTERLINE AND ABOUT 100 FT BELOW GLIDESLOPE AT THAT TIME. WITNESSES HEARD SOUNDS OF INCREASED POWER AND IMPACT. WHEN THE APPROACH CLEARANCE WAS GIVEN THE WX WAS 1000 FT CEILING, 2 MILES VISIBILITY IN FOG AND LIGHT SNOW. DURING THE APPROACH A SPECIAL WX OBSERVATION WAS RADIOED TO THE PLT CHANGING THE CEILING TO 800 FT BROKEN WITH WINDS CALM. THE PLT HAD FILED A FLT PLAN WITH TIME ENROUTE OF 3.5 HRS WITH 5 HRS OF FUEL ABOARD THE ACFT. THE ACTUAL TIME ENROUTE WAS OVER 4 HRS. THE ALTERNATE WAS 80 MILES FROM DESTINATION IN THE SAME GENERAL WX PATTERN. POST ACC INVEST SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PRE-IMPACT FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS IN ACFT AIRFRAME, POWERPLANTS OR SYSTEMS.
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: 843 hours in all; 303 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 726 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,562 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1987; 121 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BFI Seattle WA at 6:20 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 11, 7,497 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:22 pm from KTN, 1 miles away
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.
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.