Beech 58 accident near Shreveport, Louisiana, October 16, 2024
On October 16, 2024 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 1970 Beech 58, registered N4203A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Shreveport, Louisiana (Shreveport Downtown airport). It was an executive or corporate 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 inadvertent failure to lower the landing gear before touching down.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 16, 2024 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Shreveport, Louisiana · Shreveport Downtown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58, built 1970 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N4203A · registry record · serial TH-22
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the flight was routine until landing, when for some reason he neglected to lower the landing gear. The airplane landed on the runway wheels up and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot stated there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions associated with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He added that minimizing distractions and complacency might have prevented the accident.
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
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 2,100 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command; 980 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,338 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 17, 2024; 124 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental IO-520 (piston); 3,600 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental IO-520 (piston); 124 hours total
- Operator: Gulf States Air INC
The flight
- Departed from: NEW New Orleans LA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: DTN Shreveport LA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 5, 4,198 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 9 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.32 inHg
- Observation at 4:46 pm from KDTN
Weather report (METAR): SPECI KDTN 162146Z 07009G15KT 10SM CLR 21/M02 A3032
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Airplane at Accident Site (Airport Manager Photo)
Photograph 2 – Airplane at Accident Site (Airport Manager Photo)
Photograph 3 – Airplane Fuselage (Airport Manager Photo)
Photograph 4 – Nose Landing Gear Doors (Airport Manager Photo)The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on November 19, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photos | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.