Beech H-18 accident near Dayton, Ohio, July 24, 2009
On July 24, 2009 at about 11:12 pm local time, a Beech H-18, registered N87711, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Dayton, Ohio (Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to lock the tailwheel during landing resulting in the loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 2009 · about 11:12 pm local time
- Place
- Dayton, Ohio · Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech H-18 · all H-18s on the register
- Registration
- N87711 · registry record · serial BA-650
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane veered to the left and off the runway after the tailwheel touched down during landing. The pilot stated the tailwheel lock pin did not remain in the locked position. The right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing skin became wrinkled when it contacted the ground resulting in substantial damage. The pilot and three passengers were uninjured. Inspection of the tailwheel by the Federal Aviation Administration revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,022 hours in all; 279 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 1,809 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 1, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,780 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 10, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 9,900 lb
- Seats: 8300
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney 985 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Harrisonburg VA at 9:00 pm
- Destination: MGY Dayton OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN09CA474.