Beech 90 accident near Columbus, Ohio, February 16, 1982
On February 16, 1982 at about 10:04 pm local time, a Beech 90, registered N3DS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbus, Ohio (Port Columbus 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 1982 · about 10:04 pm local time
- Place
- Columbus, Ohio · Port Columbus · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 90
- Registration
- N3DS · registry record · serial LJ36
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITH OAT 25 DEGREES BELOW ZERO AND THE AIRCRAFT FLYING THROUGH HEAVY RAIN THE PILOT REPORTED THE ELEVATOR TRIM TAB BECAME INOPERATIVE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STABILIZE THE AIRCRAFT MANUALLY DURING AN ILS APPROACH THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED BELOW GLIDESLOPE AND COLLIDED WITH A 35 FOOT TV ANTENNA 2 TO 3 MILES FROM THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT EXECUTED A MISSED APPROACH AND EVENTUALLY ELECTED TO FLY TO HIS ORIGINAL ALTERNATE, COLUMBUS. ON FINAL, THE TOWER PERSONNEL OBSERVED THE NOSE GEAR NOT FULLY EXTENDED AND NOTIFIED THE PILOT. BOTH ENGINES WERE FEATHERED AND UPON TOUCHDOWN THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED N3DS HAD BEEN CLEARED FOR A DME/ILS TO 7000 FEET BUT NO FINAL APPROACH CLEARANCE HAD EVER BEEN ISSUED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,034 hours in all; 46 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 5,926 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,032 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,300 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P & W PT6A-6 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Atlanta GA at 2:45 pm
- Destination: Mansfield OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28, 10,701 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:08 pm from CMH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.