Beech D17S accident near Flagstaff, Arizona, November 6, 1989
On November 6, 1989 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Beech D17S, registered N80024, was destroyed in an accident near Flagstaff, Arizona (Flagstaff 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
AN INADVERTENT GEAR-UP LANDING BY THE PILOT. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S ACCEPTANCE OF A VISUAL GEAR-UP WARNING AS NORMAL SINCE IT IS ON ALL THE TIME.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 6, 1989 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Flagstaff, Arizona · Flagstaff · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D17S · all D17Ss on the register
- Registration
- N80024 · no longer on the register · serial 4915
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AIRCRAFT LANDED GEAR-UP. THE PILOT STATED THAT BOTH THE TOWER AND SOMEBODY ELSE TRIED TO GIVE HIM AN ADVISORY BUT THE TRANSMISSIONS WERE BLOCKED BY EACH OTHER. HE ALSO OBSERVED THE RED GEAR-UP WARNING LIGHT, BUT LATER STATED THAT SINCE IT'S ON ALL THE TIME HE PROBABLY ASSOCIATED IT AS A NORMAL SITUATION.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,312 hours in all; 290 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Montezuma AZ at 9:15 pm
- Destination: FLG Flagstaff AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 12 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:33 pm from FLG
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.