Beechcraft A36 N1837N

Summary

On 26 June 1989 at about 14:35 local time, a Beechcraft A36 registered N1837N, operated by Nesbitt, Reeves, was involved in an accident near Shelby, Mississippi, United States. 4 people were on board and one died, 2 were seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 June 1989 at 14:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Shelby, Mississippi, United States

Nearest airport

Shelby

Coordinates

33.9501, -90.7592

Aircraft

Beechcraft A36

Registration

N1837N

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Nesbitt, Reeves

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Fayette

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA89FA178

1 person died.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING BACK TO THE RUNWAY WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENTSTALL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO INSURE THE CABIN DOOR (ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE) WAS PROPERLYCLOSED AND SECURED BEFORE TAKING OFF, THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING AND DECISION BY MAKING STEEP TURNS TO MANEUVER AND LAND, AND THE PILOT'S ATTENTION BEING DIVERTED BY NOISE FROM THE OPEN DOOR (AURAL PERCEPTION).

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE RGT FRONT PAX RPRTD THAT JUST AFTER ROTATION FOR TAKEOFF, THE CABIN DOOR (ON THE RGT SIDE OF THE ACFT) CAME OPEN, CREATING A NOISE. HE STATED THAT HE & THE PLT WERE UNABLE TO CLOSE THE DOOR, SO THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND. RPRTDLY, THE PLT MADE A STEEP RGT TURN WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY A STEEP LEFT TURN TO MANEUVER BACK TO THE RWY. HOWEVER, THE ACFT ENTEREDA STEEP DESCENT & CRASHED IN A NOSE DOWN, LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND. THE PAX RPRTD THAT BEFORE THE FLT, HE HAD SHUT THE DOOR, BUT THE PLT DID NOT CHECK TO SEE IF IT WAS LOCKED. ACCORDING TO THE ACFT FLT MANUAL, THE PLT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSURING THE DOOR WAS CLOSED & LOCKED, AND SHOULD THE DOOR COME OPEN IN FLT, HE SHOULD LAND IN A NORMAL MANNER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.