Beech 58P accident near Marietta, Oklahoma, March 17, 2007
On March 17, 2007 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Beech 58P, registered N584DP, was destroyed in an accident near Marietta, Oklahoma (Mcgehee Catfish Restaurant airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper landing flare. A contributing factor was the premature touchdown in an area of rising terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 17, 2007 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Marietta, Oklahoma · Mcgehee Catfish Restaurant · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58P · all 58Ps on the register
- Registration
- N584DP · registry record · serial tj-76
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While landing to a grass runway, the pilot landed approximately 25-feet before the runway threshold in an area of rising terrain. Moments later the right landing gear failed and separated from the airframe. The airplane rotated clockwise as it departed the right side of the runway and dropped over a large embankment. The airplane continued along the bottom of the embankment and turned approximately 270-degrees before coming to rest in an upright position. A post crash fire ensued. Following the accident the pilot reported that the right main landing gear collapsed on landing. An examination of the right landing gear revealed that the upper structural truss member, which was manufactured straight, was deformed in a bow shape consistent with a hard landing. The right landing gear actuator rod was also found deformed. Pieces were submitted to the NTSB materials laboratory for examination. All submitted fracture features were on slant planes, and the pieces were deformed adjacent to the fractures consistent with overstress fracture. The examination of the airframe and engines revealed no evidence of pre impact mechanical failure/malfunction.
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: 2,063 hours in all; 61 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 2,013 as pilot in command; 61 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,348.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 6,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Teledyne Continental TSIO-520-WB (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Teledyne Continental TSIO-520-WB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: DAL Dallas TX at 6:40 pm
- Destination: T40 Marietta OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,450 ft by 55 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 11 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 8:07 pm from GLE, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
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.