Beech V35B accident near W Kingston, Rhode Island, January 8, 1990
On January 8, 1990 at about 12:15 pm local time, a Beech V35B, registered N6741V, was destroyed in an accident near W Kingston, Rhode Island (West Kingston airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE THE PASSENGER'S DOOR DURING TAKEOFF. THE UNSECURED PASSENGER DOOR WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 8, 1990 · about 12:15 pm local time
- Place
- W Kingston, Rhode Island · West Kingston
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35B · all V35Bs on the register
- Registration
- N6741V · no longer on the register · serial 10341
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS NEARING ROTATION SPEED ON THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE DOOR OPENED ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. THE PILOT LEANED ACROSS THE PASSENGER IN AN EFFORT TO SECURE THE DOOR. UNABLE TO SECURE THE DOOR, HE ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE RUNWAY, THEN ATTEMPTED TO FLY, BUT WAS GOING TOO SLOW. THE PILOT THEN REDUCED POWER TO MINIMIZE THE INEVITABLE IMPACT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED LEFT, IMPACTED IN TREES AND A SWAMPY AREA BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY, AND BURNED.
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: instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Hayden Machinery,Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: RI04 at 12:15 pm
- Destination: OXC Oxford CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 2,130 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.