Beech 58 accident near Huntsville, Alabama, March 18, 2016
On March 18, 2016 at about 5:45 pm local time, a 1978 Beech 58, registered N358CB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Huntsville, Alabama (Huntsville Intl-Carl T Jones F 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear prior to touchdown resulting in a landing with the landing gear retracted and consequent substantial damage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 18, 2016 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Huntsville, Alabama · Huntsville Intl-Carl T Jones F · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 G, built 1978 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N358CB · registry record · serial TH-985
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, after completing the maintenance test flight, he established a normal approach to the runway. However, he reported that he did not extend the landing gear prior to touchdown and the airplane landed with the landing gear retracted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, left aileron and the bottom of the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies with the airplane prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight 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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear selector › Not used/operated
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,158 hours in all; 432 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 947 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 12, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,477 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 11, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental Motor Company IO 520 CB (piston); 97 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental Motor Company IO 520 CB (piston); 1,104 hours total
- Operator: Dese Enterprises LLC
The flight
- Departed from: HSV Huntsville AL at 5:45 pm
- Destination: HSV Huntsville AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36R, 10,006 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from HSV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on May 5, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.