Beech BE-55 accident near Hot Springs, Arkansas, April 22, 1989
On April 22, 1989 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Beech BE-55, registered N7739R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hot Springs, Arkansas (Hot Springs airport). It was a personal 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
A WHEELS UP LANDING WAS PERFORMED BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND, DUE TO THE INTERRUPTED LANDING AND GO-AROUND. A PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAFFIC PATTERN HABIT INTERFERENCE MIND SET INTERFERED WITH THE PILOTS ABILITY TO PERFORM THE NORMAL FUNCTIONS REQUIRED BY THE LANDING CHECK LIST.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 1989 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hot Springs, Arkansas · Hot Springs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-55
- Registration
- N7739R · no longer on the register · serial TC1179
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
UPON REACHING HIS DESTINATION APT, THE PLT SAID THAT HE MADE A GO-AROUND MANEUVER AS ANOTHER ACFT WAS ON THE ACTIVE RUNWAY. WHEN HE RETURNED FOR LDG, HE SAID HE FAILED TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR, AND A GEAR UP LDG WAS MADE. A SMALL FIRE ERUPTED NEAR THE FUEL QUICK DRAIN. BUT IT WAS QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS REVEALED ON POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION.
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: 2,500 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 2,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1989; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: LNC Lancaster TX at 4:30 pm
- Destination: HOT Hot Springs AR
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23, 6,595 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from HOT, 1 miles away
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.