Beech G18S accident near Cedar Rapids, Iowa, March 25, 1986
On March 25, 1986 at about 4:08 pm local time, a Beech G18S, registered N528, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Municipal airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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 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
- March 25, 1986 · about 4:08 pm local time
- Place
- Cedar Rapids, Iowa · Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech G18S · all G18Ss on the register
- Registration
- N528 · no longer on the register · serial BA-528
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS AWARE THAT HE WOULD HAVE A STRONG CROSSWIND ON LANDING. HE WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 13 WITH WINDS FROM 180 DEGREES AT 20 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 30 KNOTS. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE THE AIRPLANE WAS ROLLING DOWN THE RUNWAY, THE RIGHT WING WAS LIFTED BY A WIND GUST AND IT SLOWLY VEERED TO THE LEFT. HE ADDED POWER AND LIFTED THE AIRPLANE INTO THE AIR IN A LEFT TURN. THE WIND GUST STOPPED AND THE AIRPLANE DROPPED TO THE GROUND ON THE LEFT GEAR AND NOSED FORWARD. THE LEFT PROPELLER AND WING TIP HIT THE GROUND AND THE AIRPLANE CARTWHEELED TO THE LEFT, HITTING THE NOSE, THE RIGHT PROPELLER AND LANDING GEAR AND CAME TO REST 180 DEGREES FROM THE LANDING RUNWAY HEADING.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,346 hours in all; 355 in this make and model; 4,008 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 31, 1985; 88 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MLI Moline IL at 4:34 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 5,450 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:11 pm from CID
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.