Beech BE-58 accident near Benton, Arkansas, July 10, 1987
On July 10, 1987 at about 7:35 pm local time, a Beech BE-58, registered N4JD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Benton, Arkansas (Saline County airport). It was a positioning 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
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
- July 10, 1987 · about 7:35 pm local time
- Place
- Benton, Arkansas · Saline County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-58
- Registration
- N4JD · no longer on the register · serial TH145
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A POSITIONING FLT TO PICK UP REVENUE PASSENGERS, PIC NEGLECTED TO LOWER LDG GEAR FOR LDG. ACFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. PIC STATED HE FORGOT TO LOWER GEAR AND NO WARNING HORN HAD ACTIVATED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,557 hours in all; 405 in this make and model; 3,195 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,426 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 97 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Memphis Aero Charter
The flight
- Departed from: GTR Columbus MS at 6:15 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17, 3,665 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 30,000 ft; scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from LIT, 20 miles away
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.