Beech S35 accident near Macon, Georgia, October 9, 1982
On October 9, 1982 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Beech S35, registered N6138V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Macon, Georgia (Lewis B. Wilson airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 9, 1982 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Macon, Georgia · Lewis B. Wilson · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech S35 · all S35s on the register
- Registration
- N6138V · registry record · serial 07812
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER LANDING AND COMING TO A STOP ON THE RUNWAY, THE PILOT MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN TO PROCEED TO A TAXIWAY AND BEGAN CLEANING UP THE COCKPIT. DURING THE TURN, THE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE INADVERTENTLY RAISED THE GEAR HANDLE INSTEAD OF THE FLAP HANDLE. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE STRUTS WERE OVER-IN FLATED WHICH PREVENTED THE "SQUAT" SWITCH FROM ACTING AS A SAFETY FEATURE.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 530 hours in all; 82 in this make and model; 128 in the last 90 days; 482 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 178 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 91 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Corpus Christi TX at 11:30 am
- Destination: Macon GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 6,501 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 192°F (89°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.