Beech A36 accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, November 20, 1988
On November 20, 1988 at about 2:07 am local time, a Beech A36, registered N6639R, was destroyed in an accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Will Rogers World airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- November 20, 1988 · about 2:07 am local time
- Place
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma · Will Rogers World
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N6639R · no longer on the register · serial E-1534
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS BRIEFED ON FLT PRCTNS FOR IFR CONDS, TSTMS & OCNL MOD RIME ICING. DRG THE CLIMB, HE TOLD ATC HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH HIS VACUUM & WAS DISORIENTED. ATC CLRD HIM FOR ALTITUDES HE COULD USE & BGN PROVIDING NO-GYRO VECTORS. A WXCHECK REVEALED THERE WERE NO ARPTS WITH VFR CONDS W/I 100 MI. THE PLT ELECTED TO DIVERT FOR AN ILS RWY 17R APCH TO THE WILL ROGERS WORLD ARPT. AS THE FLT CONTD, THE PLT RPRTD HE WAS STARTING TO "PICK UP A LITTLE ICE" & WAS HAVING TROUBLE CLIMBING. WITH ATC ASSIST, HE MADE AN ILS APCH, BUT WAS TOO HI TO MAKE A NORMAL LNDG. HE WAS TOLD TO CLIMB & TURN RGT FOR A MISSED APCH, BUT THE ACFT TURNED LEFT TO AN EASTERLY HDG & CRASH LANDED NEAR THE CENTER OF THE ARPT WITH THE GEAR DWN & FLAPS RETRACTED. THE GEAR COLLAPSED ON IMPACT. THE ACFT SLID 330' & STOPPED ON RWY 17L. IT THEN BURNED, DESTROYINGVACUUM HOSES, REGULATOR & MOST OF THE ATTITUDE INDCR, BUT THE VACUUM PUMP WAS STILL OPERABLE. ALTHOUGH THE ACFT BURNED, PIECES OF THICK ICE WERE FND ON THE LEFT WING. THE ACFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED FOR FLT INTO KNOWN ICING CONDS.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 510 hours in all; 185 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,964 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 1988; 104 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: OUN Norman OK at 1:42 am
- Destination: 3DW Springfield MO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17R, 9,800 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 320° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 91°F (33°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:49 am from OKC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N6639R 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.