Beech A90 accident near Wichita, Kansas, November 3, 1995
On November 3, 1995 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Beech A90, registered N93RY, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wichita, Kansas (Colonel James Jabara airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to follow procedures/directives regarding the entrance door, which resulted the door coming open in flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 3, 1995 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wichita, Kansas · Colonel James Jabara · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A90
- Registration
- N93RY · no longer on the register · serial LJ-174
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT AT 14,500 FEET, THE PILOT WENT BACK TO CHECK THE CABIN DOOR FOR AIR LEAKS. HE NOTICED A WHISTLING NOISE AND DECIDED TO TROUBLESHOOT. HE PUSHED THE CABIN DOOR BUTTON FOLLOWED BY TURNING THE HANDLE FROM THE NEUTRAL TO THE LOCKED POSITION, THEN BEGAN PUSHING ON THE CABIN DOOR. AT THIS POINT, THE DOOR OPENED IN-FLIGHT. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO ANOMALIES WITH THE CABIN DOOR. THE PILOT DID NOT OBSERVE THE CAUTION PLACARD ON THE DOOR NOR THE EMERGENCY DOOR WARNING NOTICE IN THE FLIGHT MANUAL.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,500 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 6,000 as pilot in command; 4,800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,040 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 13, 1995; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,300 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-20 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3KM at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:58 pm from ICT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.