Beech G35 accident near Kooskia, Idaho, September 16, 2016
On September 16, 2016 at about 9:00 pm local time, a 1956 Beech G35, registered N168B, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Kooskia, Idaho (Shearer /Usfs/ 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 16, 2016 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Kooskia, Idaho · Shearer /Usfs/ · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech G35 NO SERIES, built 1956 · all G35s on the register
- Registration
- N168B · no longer on the register · serial D-4453
- 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 of the retractable landing gear airplane, his normal approach to the backcountry grass airstrip was to follow the terrain until established on a "5-10 second" final approach. The pilot recalled that there was a 5-knot tailwind at the airstrip during the approach. On final, he increased the flaps, the airspeed was 70 knots, and the airplane touched down on the approach end of the runway. He reported that he did not extend the retractable landing gear and that, following the touchdown, the airplane slid about 1,000 ft down the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage longerons and the firewall. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have prevented 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
- Landing gear not configured during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: gyroplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: gyroplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,997.5 hours in all; 4,546.8 in this make and model; 69.6 in the last 90 days; 20.8 in the last 30 days; 7,714.5 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 21, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 24, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550-B (piston); 1,961 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1U1 Moose Creek ID at 8:50 pm
- Destination: 2U5 Kooskia ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,000 ft by 15 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from KP69, 33 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N168B the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 GAA16CA519.