Beech A36 accident near Lansing, Illinois, October 22, 1989
On October 22, 1989 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N6736L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lansing, Illinois (Lansing Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT IN ELECTING TO TAXI ACROSS AN UNMARKED AREA IN DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS, AT AN AIRPORT WITH KNOWN CONSTRUCTION IN PROGRESS AND THE AIRPORT MANAGEMENT'S FAILURE TO ASSURE THE INITIAL REPAIRS WERE SUFFICIENT TO CORRECT THE HOLES MADE DURING CONSTRUCTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 22, 1989 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Lansing, Illinois · Lansing Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N6736L · no longer on the register · serial E-2019
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TAXI FROM THE RUNWAY TO THE HANGAR/RAMP AREA AFTER LANDING, THE PLT TAXIED ACROSS A GRASSY AREA TO GET TO THE MARKED TEMPORARY GRASS TAXIWAY. AS HE TAXIED THROUGH THE GRASSY AREA, THE ACFT'S LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR DROPPED INTO AN UNMARKED HOLE WHICH THE PLT ESTIMATED TO BE 23' DEEP. THE PLT WAS ABLE TO TAXI THE ACFT OUT OF THE HOLE BY USING POWER; HOWEVER SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE RESULTED TO THE ACFT. THE ARPT WAS IN THE MIDST OF ONGOING CONSTRUCTION, AND THE HOLE WAS ONE OF SEVERAL CAUSED BY THE RELOCATION OF THE VASI LIGHT INSTALLATION DUE TO RUNWAY EXPANSION. THE AIRPORT MANAGEMENT STATED THAT THE HOLES HAD BEEN 'RESTORED' AFTER THE VASI STRUCTURES WERE REMOVED; THEY WERE 'RESTORED' AGAIN THE DAY AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE PLT DESCRIBED THE LIGHT CONDITIONS AS 'DARK NIGHT' AT THE TIME OF 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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,200 hours in all; 355 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 2,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,225 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 21, 1989; 103 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OKK Kokomo IN at 10:45 pm
- Destination: 3HA Lansing IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:00 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.