Beech 36 accident near Mathews, Virginia, December 8, 1998
On December 8, 1998 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Beech 36, registered N3237Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mathews, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to land with less than full-down flaps. Contributing factors were the wet landing surface and the tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 8, 1998 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mathews, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 36 · all 36s on the register
- Registration
- N3237Q · no longer on the register · serial E2979
- 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, the pilot overflew the runway, checked the winds, and entered a left base for landing to the east. The pilot positioned the airplane on a 2 mile final, configured the airplane with approach flaps, and slowed to 75 mph. The airplane touched down approximately 300 feet past the approach end of the 2,200 foot wet grass runway and started to roll out. Halfway down the runway, the pilot applied the brakes and the airplane started to slide. With approximately 600 feet remaining, the pilot felt the airplane was not going to stop, so he maneuvered the airplane to the right side of the runway to attempt a left 180 degree turn. On the right side of the runway, the right main landing gear encountered 'tall' grass, causing the airplane to veer to the right and depart the runway. The right wing then struck a 3 to 4 inch diameter tree, and the airplane came to a stop. The airplane's Pilot's Operator Handbook (POH) stated in the before landing checklist, 'Flaps-FULL DOWN.' The POH only has landing performance data for flaps full down on a dry level runway. According to the POH, a 3,200 pound airplane would require a landing distance of 1,500 feet, based on no wind, sea level, a 50-foot obstacle, and an air temperature of 77 degrees Fahrenheit.
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: 3,729 hours in all; 1,401 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 3,729 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 157 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 6, 1998; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-55B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORF Norfolk VA at 5:45 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 2,200 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 249° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from ORF, 36 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.