Beech A36 accident near Greenville, South Carolina, June 3, 1987
On June 3, 1987 at about 11:19 am local time, a Beech A36, registered N1859A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greenville, South Carolina (Greenville Downtown airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- June 3, 1987 · about 11:19 am local time
- Place
- Greenville, South Carolina · Greenville Downtown
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N1859A · registry record · serial E1929
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LDG AFTER EXPERIENCING ACFT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND OBSERVING THE AMMETER INDICATE DISCHARGING. THE NOSE AND RT MAIN LDG GEAR COLLAPSED DURING ROLLOUT BRAKING. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE GEAR HAD EXTENDED PRIOR TO LDG USING THE NORMAL ELECTRICALLY-OPERATED SYSTEM, BUT THAT THE GEAR DOWN & LOCKED INDICATOR LIGHTS DID NOT ILLUMINATE; HE SUBSEQUENTLY ATTEMPTED TO MANUALLY EXTEND THE GEAR, BUT 'COULD NOT' TURN THE HANDCRANK TO DO SO. AFTER RECYCLING THE GEAR ELECTRICALLY, A TWR FLY-BY WAS MADE AND ATC ADVISED HIM THAT THE GEAR 'APPEARED' TO BE DOWN. A MECHANIC WHO ARRIVED ON SCENE SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED RPTD THAT THE PLT STATED HE HAD 'FORGOTTEN' TO USE THE MANUAL SYSTEM. THE MECHANIC LATER OPERATED THE HANDCRANK AND FOUND THAT IT APPEARED TO ROTATE NORMALLY. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT BY THE FAA REVEALED THAT THE GEAR DOWN & LOCKED INDICATING SYSTEM WAS FUNCTIONAL. NO PROBLEMS WERE RPTD WITH THE REST OF THE ACFT ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,339 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 1,177 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,941 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Southeast Air,Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: PDK Atlanta GA at 10:00 am
- Destination: CLT Charlotte NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 5,393 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:47 am from GMU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.