Beech V35B accident near Cairo, Illinois, November 26, 1983
On November 26, 1983 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Beech V35B, registered N9002Q, was destroyed in an accident near Cairo, Illinois (Cairo airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 26, 1983 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Cairo, Illinois · Cairo · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35B · all V35Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9002Q · registry record · serial D-9166
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT DOVE INTO THE GROUND NOSE FIRST FROM A 90 DEGREE BANK SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED BY WITNESSESTO TAKE OFF SLOWLY 'WITH ABOUT 1/2 POWER' BEING USED. THE CLIMB WAS SLOW AND AT 300-400 FT THE ACFT TURNED LEFT WITH THELANDING GEAR STILL DOWN. WITNESSES NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE HEARD THE ENGINE SPUTTER. WHEN THE ENGINE SPUTTERED A 2ND TIMETHE ACFT TURNED LEFT WITH SOME LOSS OF ALTITUDE. WHILE IN THIS TURN 'THE WING DIPPED DOWN SUDDENLY' TO ABOUT A 90 DEGREEBANK ANGLE. THE ACFT DOVE TO THE GROUND AND EXPLODED. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE FUEL SELECTOR NEAR THE RIGHT FUEL TANK POSITION. THE VALVE WAS OPEN ONLY PART WAY AND DURING TESTING THIS INTERFERED WITH FUEL FLOW AND AFFECTED THE ABILITY OF THE FUEL PUMP TO SUPPRESS VAPOR FORMATION.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,170 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 21, 1983; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 2,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from CG1, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CHI84FA051.