Beech 36 accident near Ormond Beach, Florida, November 9, 2016
On November 9, 2016 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 1969 Beech 36, registered N3089A, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Ormond Beach, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of aircraft control for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the flight controls that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 9, 2016 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ormond Beach, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 36 UNDESIGNAT, built 1969 · all 36s on the register
- Registration
- N3089A · registry record · serial E-182
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot and the pilot-rated passenger reported that, while in level flight at an altitude of 2,000 ft mean sea level with the autopilot disengaged, the airplane suddenly rolled to the right without any control input. The pilot stated that he tried to correct with opposite aileron, but the airplane did not respond and continued to roll inverted. The pilot-rated passenger then took control of the airplane, shut off the engine, and applied full left rudder to bring the airplane back to level flight; however, the airplane had descended to about 300 ft. The pilot-rated passenger slowed the airplane and flared it into trees. The pilot stated that he had no idea what caused the airplane to suddenly roll, that the ailerons were unresponsive, and that he assumed a flight control cable had "snapped." The pilot-rated passenger stated that they were not trying to perform aerobatics and that he thought the airplane rolled due to a broken aileron cable. Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane first struck a 30- to 40-ft-tall tree with its right wing, then struck a second tree with the right wing. A 9-ft-long section of the right wing separated from the airplane and was found at the base of the second tree. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the right aileron UP flight control cable was separated at the turnbuckle, which was located inside the cabin, and the aileron balance control cable was separated in the right wing. Metallurgical examination of the cables revealed that they had both separated from overstress, indicative of the cables separating during the accident sequence. Examination of the airplane's flight controls did not otherwise reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of control in flight during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Attain/maintain not possible
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 420 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,886 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 21, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 3,651 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental Motors IO-520-BA6B (piston); 1,412 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FIN Palm Coast FL at 6:20 pm
- Destination: DED Deland FL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,000 ft; scat at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from KOMN, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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 N3089A 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.