Beech V35 accident near West Chicago, Illinois, February 13, 1990
On February 13, 1990 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Beech V35, registered N9582Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Chicago, Illinois (Dupage County airport). It was a ferry 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO EXTEND THE GEAR, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT WHEELS-UP LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 13, 1990 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- West Chicago, Illinois · Dupage County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35 · all V35s on the register
- Registration
- N9582Q · no longer on the register · serial D-8213
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT/AIRCRAFT OWNER FLEW THE AIRCRAFT FROM ITS HOME BASE TO A LOCAL AIRPORT (8 MI SOUTHWEST) TO HAVE SOME AVIONICS WORK ACCOMPLISHED. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RUNWAY WITH THE GEAR RETRACTED. A POST-ACCIDENT EXAM OF THE COCKPIT REVEALED THE LANDING GEAR HANDLE WAS IN THE 'UP' POSITION. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE COULD NOT RECALL EXTENDING THE GEAR PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN.
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
- Flight time: 274 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 274 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,994 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 20, 1989; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 06C Schaumburg IL at 3:15 pm
- Destination: DPA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 4,001 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from DPA
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.
Other NTSB records under N9582Q 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.