Beech BE-24 accident near Martinsville, Virginia, December 28, 1989
On December 28, 1989 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Beech BE-24, registered N18733, was substantially damaged in an accident near Martinsville, Virginia (Martinsville airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO STALL AND LAND HARD.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 28, 1989 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Martinsville, Virginia · Martinsville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-24
- Registration
- N18733 · registry record · serial MC499
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS COMPLETING A COMMERCIAL CHECKRIDE. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE ACFT WAS ABOUT 10 TO 15 FEET ABOVE THE RWY WHENTHE ACFT PITCHED UP AND LANDED HARD COLLAPSING THE LANDING GEAR. THE AIRCRAFT SLID OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. ACCORDING TO THE FAA DESIGNATED EXAMINER, THE LANDING APCH APPEARED NORMAL UNTIL THE ACFT PITCHED UP AND LANDED HARD ON THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR. THE PLT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 262 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 68 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 201 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,243 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTV at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.