Beech 95-B55 accident near Pineville, Louisiana, June 20, 1983
On June 20, 1983 at about 10:09 pm local time, a Beech 95-B55, registered N7712R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pineville, Louisiana (Esler Regional airport). It was a business 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).
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
- June 20, 1983 · about 10:09 pm local time
- Place
- Pineville, Louisiana · Esler Regional
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-B55 · all 95-B55s on the register
- Registration
- N7712R · registry record · serial TC-1167
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIOR TO LANDING, THE PLT MOVED THE GEAR SWITCH TO THE EXTEND POSITION & NOTED THAT THE GEAR INDICATED DOWN. HOWEVER, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR DID NOT EXTEND. WHILE LANDING WITH THE LEFT GEAR RETRACTED, THE ACFT SETTLED ON THE LEFT WING & PROP. THE ACFT SPUN 180 DEG TO THE LEFT & CAME TO REST IN A GRASSY AREA OFF THE RWY. AN EXAM REVEALED THE LEFT MAIN GEAR CABLE WAS LOOSE, THE RESPECTIVE UPLOCK WAS WORN & THE LEFT GEAR WAS STRUCK IN THE UP POSITION. THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED ON 5/12/82. THE GEAR POSITION INDICATOR INDICATED THE LANDING GEAR ACTUATOR ARM POSITION RATHER THAN THE ACTUAL GEAR POSITION.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,067 hours in all; 1,544 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 3,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,192 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 12, 1982; 82 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M76 Monticello AR at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.