Beech 58 accident near Albany, Georgia, October 6, 2015
On October 6, 2015 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 1973 Beech 58, registered N25734, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Albany, Georgia (Southwest Georgia Rgnl 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The mechanic's inadequate inspection of the brake system during the most recent annual inspection, which resulted in the failure of both left and right main landing gear torque plates and a subsequent loss of braking action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 2015 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Albany, Georgia · Southwest Georgia Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58, built 1973 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N25734 · registry record · serial TH-390
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While taxiing from the runway after landing, the commercial pilot noted "softness" when he applied the left brake. Upon entering the ramp area, he further applied the brakes and attempted to slow the airplane; however, the brakes had no effect. The airplane rolled off the ramp, into the grass, and impacted an airport perimeter fence. Examination of both left and right main landing gear brake torque plates revealed that they had fractured in fatigue, and that the fatigue cracks emanated from corrosion pitting within the attachment bolt holes. The corrosion pits in the attachment bolt holes were stress risers that likely reduced the strength of the plates. It is likely that, during the most recent maintenance inspection, about 7 months before the accident, the mechanic failed to thoroughly inspect the brake system as required, which would have detected the corrosion and fatigue cracks prior to their ultimate failure.
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
What happened, in order
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during taxi (from runway) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during taxi (from runway)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during taxi (from runway)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear brakes system › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear brakes system › Inadequate inspection
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear brakes system › Failure
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,145.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 15, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 5,503 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rcl Farms Leasing LLC
The flight
- Departed from: 16J Dawson GA at 10:30 pm
- Destination: ABY Albany GA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from ABY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA16LA004.