Beech E-90 accident near Galesburg, Illinois, January 8, 2004
On January 8, 2004 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Beech E-90, registered N48TA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Galesburg, Illinois (Galesburg Muni airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight by not complying with the airplane's before takeoff checklist to verify that the cabin door was secured leading to its in-flight separation from the airplane. A factor was that the door was not secured.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 8, 2004 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Galesburg, Illinois · Galesburg Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E-90 · all E-90s on the register
- Registration
- N48TA · no longer on the register · serial LW-283
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage when its cabin door opened in-flight, separated from the airplane, and impacted the empennage during climb out. A passenger closed the cabin door. The report, signed by the pilot, stated, "The door was not verified to be closed properly by the PIC." That report listed no mechanical malfunctions in reference to the flight.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,500 hours in all; 3,500 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 4,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,590.9 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 17, 2003
- Maximum gross weight: 10,100 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PT-6A-28 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-28 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GBG Galesburg IL at 8:25 pm
- Destination: MKJ Marion/Wythevil VA
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 8:25 pm from GBG, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N48TA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.