Beech 35R accident near Manito, Illinois, July 26, 1988
On July 26, 1988 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Beech 35R, registered N3016V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Manito, Illinois (Shissler Seed Company airport). It was a business 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 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
- July 26, 1988 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Manito, Illinois · Shissler Seed Company · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35R · all 35Rs on the register
- Registration
- N3016V · no longer on the register · serial D418R13
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG ARRIVAL, THE PLT EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL PRBLM WITH THE LANDING GEAR & HAD TO USE MANUAL EXTENSION PROCEDURES. HE STATED THAT WHEN HE SELECTED THE FLAPS FOR LANDING, HE HEARD THE MOTOR RUN, BUT DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THAT THE FLAPS WERE EXTENDED. JUST BEFORE LANDING, AT APRX 20' AGL, THE ACFT 'QUIT FLYING' & LANDED HARD. INITIALLY, THE PLT WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY DAMAGE. WHEN HE GOT OUT OF THE ACFT AFTER THE FLT, HE NOTICED THE FLAPS WERE RETRACTED, BUT SAID IT WAS HIS HABIT TO RETRACT THEM AUTOMATICALLY ON THE ROLL-OUT. A SUBSEQUENT INSPN REVEALED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING SPAR.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 944 hours in all; 550 in this make and model; 870 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 15, 1988; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-185-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 12LL Elmwood IL at 2:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 2,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from PIA, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.