What happened
On October 5, 2025, at 16:10 EDT, a Beech 58P, registration N121GJ, crashed near Williston, Florida. The flight was being operated under visual flight rules as a private Part 91 operation. The pilot and two passengers were 3 fatal.
The flight originated from Lebanon Springfield Airport (6I2) in Springfield, Kentucky, departing at approximately 13:18. After climbing to 17,000 feet MSL and receiving radar services from air traffic control, the aircraft began its descent roughly 50 miles northwest of its destination, Will andiston Regional Airport (X60).
As the aircraft approached the airport, ATC terminated radar services and transferred communications to the X60 common traffic advisory frequency. Approximately 10 miles northwest of X60, the aircraft was level at 1,300 feet MSL with a ground speed of 180 knots. About 4 miles northwest of the airport, the aircraft executed a right turn, and its ground speed increased from 158 knots to 168 knots. During the final 18 seconds of flight, the aircraft entered a steep descent of approximately 4,000 feet per minute. A nearby pilot observed the aircraft in a steep descent with a 90-degree bank angle before it struck the ground and exploded.
The investigation
The aircraft impacted a peanut field on a 200-degree heading, leaving a debris field spanning approximately 765 feet. The main wreckage was located 1.76 nautical miles northwest of the approach end of runway 5 at X60. The wreckage was highly fragmented and showed significant thermal damage.
Investigators found the following details regarding the wreckage:
- The initial impact area contained pieces of the right wing tip.
- The fuselage was largely destroyed by post-impact fire, though the empennage remained relatively intact.
- The landing gear and flaps were found in the retracted position.
- Both the left and right engines had separated from the airframe and sustained impact damage.
- All propeller blades had separated from their respective hubs.
Multiple avionics devices with recording capabilities were recovered and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory for data extraction. The aircraft was retained for further examination.