Beech A-36 accident near Corning, Iowa, January 17, 1987
On January 17, 1987 at about 3:45 am local time, a Beech A-36, registered N7688N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Corning, Iowa (Corning airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. 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
- January 17, 1987 · about 3:45 am local time
- Place
- Corning, Iowa · Corning · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A-36 · all A-36s on the register
- Registration
- N7688N · no longer on the register · serial E-96
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT HAD PROGRESSED NORMALLY FROM CHAMPAGNE, IL. THE IFR FLT PLAN WAS CANCELLED AT LAMONI VOR AND THE FLT PROCEEDED VFR. ON FINAL APPROACH TO RWY 17, APRX 1 MILE FROM THE RWY, THE ALTIMETER SUDDENLY UNWOUND AND THE ACFT STRUCK TREES. THE ALTIMETER HAD FUNCTIONED NORMALLY UP TO THAT POINT. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE ALTIMETER SHOWED BINDING OF THE 100 FOOT NEEDLE AT THE TANG. ONLY SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE NEEDLE PRODUCED A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM IN BINDING. THE TESTING OF THE ALTIMETER PRODUCED A SIMILAR MALFUNCTION TO THAT EXPERIENCED BY THE PLT DURING THE APPROACH. THE LIGHTS OF THE ARPT WERE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY DURING THE APPROACH.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,586 hours in all; 1,326 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 1,484 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 3,650 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Roscoe Brown Sales CO.
The flight
- Departed from: CMI Champaign IL at 1:00 am
- Destination: Corning IA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 090° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,300 ft; not recorded at 1,300 ft
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 am from OMA, 56 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.