Beech BE-58 accident near St. Albans, Vermont, July 9, 1990
On July 9, 1990 at about 3:35 pm local time, a Beech BE-58, registered N335T, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Albans, Vermont. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FLIGHT INTO TREES WHILE RECOVERING FROM AN INADVERTENT SPIN AFTER A PILOT USED INCORRECT PROCEDURES DURING A SIMULATED ENGINE FAILURE BELOW VMC AND THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT DELAYED THE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 1990 · about 3:35 pm local time
- Place
- St. Albans, Vermont
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-58
- Registration
- N335T · registry record · serial TK146
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BEECH BARON 58 WAS ON A TRAINING FLIGHT. AT 3000 FT MSL (2500 FT AGL) AN ENGINE FAILURE BELOW VMC WAS SIMULATED. THE PILOT SAID HE LOWERED THE NOSE, BANKED TOWARD THE GOOD ENGINE AND ADDED FULL POWER TO THE GOOD ENGINE. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT SAID THE PILOT ADDED FULL POWER BUT DID NOT LOWER THE NOSE AND HE SAID HE DELAYED 1 TO 2 SECONDS ON TAKING CORRECTIVE ACTION. THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A LEFT SPIN AND THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TOOK CONTROL. RECOVERY WAS ACCOMPLISHED AS THE AIRPLANE ENTERED THE TOPS OF TREES. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED IN A WOODED AREA, IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,250 hours in all; 1,475 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,674 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 30, 1990; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Valley Air Service
The flight
- Departed from: BTV Burlington VT at 3:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N335T the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.