Beech 58 accident near Bismarck, North Dakota, March 6, 1987
On March 6, 1987 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Beech 58, registered N9025V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bismarck, North Dakota (Bismarck Municipal airport). It was a business flight 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
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
- March 6, 1987 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bismarck, North Dakota · Bismarck Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N9025V · no longer on the register · serial TH161
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT, WHILE AT CRUISE, DETECTED AN ODOR HE SUSPECTED TO BE OVERHEATED ELECTRICAL WIRING. HE DIVERTED TO A NEARBY ARPT FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. THE PLT SHUTDOWN ALL ELECTRICAL PWR AFTER COMMUNICATION WITH THE TWR. PRIOR TO LANDING, THE PLT TURNED ON ELECTRICAL PWR TO LOWER THE LANDING GEAR BY NORMAL PROCEDURES. HE ASSUMED THAT THE GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED BUT DID NOT HAVE A POSITIVE INDICATION. THE PLT DID NOT USE THE HAND CRANK TO VERIFY THAT THE GEAR WAS LOCKED. THE GEAR COLLAPSED ON 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,029 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 4,629 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,093 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 24, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO 520 C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Johnson Construction CO.
The flight
- Departed from: FAR Fargo ND at 1:23 pm
- Destination: SPF Spearfish SD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 8,788 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:09 pm from BIS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 N9025V 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.