On December 18, 1987, a Beech 58 (registration N3702K) was involved in an aviation accident near Wedron, IL. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A cargo airplane ran out of fuel during a night flight and descended uncontrollably into a river while attempting a forced landing. The wreckage was recovered five days later.
What happened
During a cargo flight conducted at night, the aircraft experienced a complete loss of power due to fuel exhaustion. Unable to maintain altitude, the airplane struck trees and subsequently descended in an uncontrolled manner into a nearby river.
The wreckage remained submerged until the fifth day of the search operation. The location was finally identified after two boys discovered debris from the aircraft on the river bank. A search conducted by the captain eventually led to the recovery of the plane from beneath the water.