Beech C23 accident near Manassas, Virginia, May 1, 1988
On May 1, 1988 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Beech C23, registered N9358S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Manassas, Virginia (Manassas airport). It was a personal 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
- May 1, 1988 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Manassas, Virginia · Manassas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C23 · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N9358S · registry record · serial M1658
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT SAID THAT EARLIER HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT CARLISLE, PA AND DURING THE LNDG ROLL HE ENCOUNTERED A WIND GUST AND LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE ACFT. THE R WING RAISED AND THE ACFT WENT OFF THE SIDE OF THE RWY. THE PLT SAID HE HEARD A LOUD BUMP AS THE L WING DRAGGED THE GROUND. THE PLT REGAINED CONTROL AND DID A GO AROUND. HE FLEW TO MANASSAS AND LANDED. AS HE TRIED TO TURN OFF THE RWY THE L GEAR COLLAPSED. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE L MAIN GEAR HOUSING.
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: 401 hours in all; 396 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,415 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1987; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W16 Winchester VA
- Destination: W10 Manassas VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,700 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:00 pm
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.