Beech B-99A accident near East Sound, Washington, October 4, 1988
On October 4, 1988 at about 4:52 pm local time, a Beech B-99A, registered N803BA, was substantially damaged in an accident near East Sound, Washington. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. 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
- October 4, 1988 · about 4:52 pm local time
- Place
- East Sound, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech B-99A · all B-99As on the register
- Registration
- N803BA · registry record · serial U-133
- 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 CREW ELECTED TO DEPART THE AIRPORT UNDER A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE. WX AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT WAS 700 FT OVC WITH VISIBILITY 1 AND 1/4 MILES. THE DESTINATION AIRPORT WAS WITHIN 25 NAUTICAL MILES OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT AND WAS REPORTING A BKN CEILING OF 6 TO 800 FT AND 3 MILES VISIBILITY. THE CREW WAS IN THE PROCESS OF OBTAINING AN IFR CLEARANCE WHEN THE PILOT ON THE CONTROLS OBSERVED TREES IN THE FLIGHT PATH. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN. THE CREW SUBSEQUENTLY OBTAINED AN IFR CLEARANCE AND RETURNED TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT UNEVENTFULLY.
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: 4,320 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 247 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 3,668 as pilot in command; 900 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 27,745 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 18, 1988; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,900 lb
- Seats: 17
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-27 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BLI Bellingham WA at 4:45 pm
- Destination: ORS Orcas Island WA
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from BLI, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.