Beech A36 accident near Shelby, Mississippi, June 26, 1989
On June 26, 1989 at about 2:35 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N1837N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shelby, Mississippi (Shelby airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed, 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING BACK TO THE RUNWAY WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENTSTALL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO INSURE THE CABIN DOOR (ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE) WAS PROPERLYCLOSED AND SECURED BEFORE TAKING OFF, THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING AND DECISION BY MAKING STEEP TURNS TO MANEUVER AND LAND, AND THE PILOT'S ATTENTION BEING DIVERTED BY NOISE FROM THE OPEN DOOR (AURAL PERCEPTION).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 1989 · about 2:35 pm local time
- Place
- Shelby, Mississippi · Shelby · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed, 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N1837N · no longer on the register · serial E1913
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE RGT FRONT PAX RPRTD THAT JUST AFTER ROTATION FOR TAKEOFF, THE CABIN DOOR (ON THE RGT SIDE OF THE ACFT) CAME OPEN, CREATING A NOISE. HE STATED THAT HE & THE PLT WERE UNABLE TO CLOSE THE DOOR, SO THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND. RPRTDLY, THE PLT MADE A STEEP RGT TURN WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY A STEEP LEFT TURN TO MANEUVER BACK TO THE RWY. HOWEVER, THE ACFT ENTEREDA STEEP DESCENT & CRASHED IN A NOSE DOWN, LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND. THE PAX RPRTD THAT BEFORE THE FLT, HE HAD SHUT THE DOOR, BUT THE PLT DID NOT CHECK TO SEE IF IT WAS LOCKED. ACCORDING TO THE ACFT FLT MANUAL, THE PLT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSURING THE DOOR WAS CLOSED & LOCKED, AND SHOULD THE DOOR COME OPEN IN FLT, HE SHOULD LAND IN A NORMAL MANNER.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 545 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,456 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 28, 1988; 170 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: M95 Fayette AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from GLH, 31 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.