Beech N35 accident near Hot Springs, Arkansas, February 18, 1986
On February 18, 1986 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Beech N35, registered N9398Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hot Springs, Arkansas (Memorial airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- February 18, 1986 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hot Springs, Arkansas · Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech N35 · all N35s on the register
- Registration
- N9398Y · no longer on the register · serial D-6801
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS ON THE LANDING ROLL AND REACHED FOR THE FLAP SWITCH AND MOVED THE LANDING GEAR SWITCH INSTEAD. THE LANDING GEAR THEN RETRACTED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 919 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 919 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,664 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 26, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 3,125 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M78 Malvern AR at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 6,596 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.