Beech B19 accident near Simsbury, Connecticut, April 1, 1984
On April 1, 1984 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Beech B19, registered N18871, was substantially damaged in an accident near Simsbury, Connecticut (Simsbury airport). It was an instructional 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
- April 1, 1984 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Simsbury, Connecticut · Simsbury
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B19 · all B19s on the register
- Registration
- N18871 · no longer on the register · serial MB-857
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLT, A LANDING WAS MADE DURING WHICH CONTROL OF THE ACFT WAS LOST AND THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A SNOW BANK HARD ENOUGH TO SHEAR OFF ONE OF THE MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE OTHER MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED BUT THE NOSE GEAR DID NOT. THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) SAID HE FELT A SEVERE SHIMMY IN THE ACFT, BUT HE DID NOT REMEMBER WHETHER IT STARTED BEFORE OR AFTER THE NOSEWHEEL TOUCHED DOWN. NO PREEXITING MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,199 hours in all; 254 in this make and model; 93 in the last 90 days; 1,010 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,744 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4B8 Plainville CT at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 2,205 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 12:45 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.