Beech B19 accident near Muscle Shoals, Alabama, December 26, 1989
On December 26, 1989 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Beech B19, registered N6584R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Muscle Shoals, Alabama (Muscle Shoals Regional airport). It was an instructional 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 PREMATURE FLARE INITIATED BY THE STUDENT PILOT AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S DELAY IN TAKING REMEDIAL ACTION, WHICH LED TO AN INADVERTENT STALL AND A HARD LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 1989 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Muscle Shoals, Alabama · Muscle Shoals Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B19 · all B19s on the register
- Registration
- N6584R · no longer on the register · serial MB-730
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD DURING A TOUCH AND GO LANDING. THE STUDENT REPORTED THAT HE FLARED THE AIRPLANE 'TOO SOON' AND STALLED THE AIRPLANE ABOVE THE RUNWAY. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT HE REPEATEDLY TOLD THE STUDENT TO RELEASE ELEVATOR BACK PRESSURE, BUT THE STUDENT FAILED TO RESPOND. THE INSTRUCTOR THEN TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND ATTEMPTED TO RECOVER FROM THE PREMATURE FLARE. THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND DROPPED TO THE RUNWAY BEFORE HE COULD COMPLETE THE RECOVERY.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,572 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 29, 1989; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 6,693 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from MSL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.