Beech P35 accident near Gilbertsville, Kentucky, April 3, 1991
On April 3, 1991 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Beech P35, registered N1476G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gilbertsville, Kentucky (Kentucky Dam State Park airport). It was a business 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 PILOT'S FAILUE TO ENSURE THE GEAR WAS FULLY EXTENDED DURING A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AFTER THE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 1991 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Gilbertsville, Kentucky · Kentucky Dam State Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech P35 · all P35s on the register
- Registration
- N1476G · no longer on the register · serial D-6928
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REALIZED HE LOST ELECTRICAL POWER AFTER MEMPHIS CENTER ADVSIED HIM THAT THEY WERE LOSING HIS RADIO TRANSMISSIONS. HE DEVIATED TO KENTUCKY DAM AIRPORT. HE USED THE LANDING GEAR SWITCH TO LOWER THE GEAR AND HE FELT THE GEAR GO DOWN. HE SAID THAT ALTHOUGH HE REALIZED THE LANDING GEAR LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE BECAUSE OF THE POWER LOSS, HE STILL ASSUMED THE GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED. THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED WHEN THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY MECHANICALLY LOWERING THE GEAR AND CONFIRMING THAT IT WAS DOWN AND LOCKED.
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: 3,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 2,727 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 1, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 3,125 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MEM Memphis TN at 9:15 pm
- Destination: C65 Plymouth IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; scat
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from PAH, 999 miles away
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.