Shelby Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Shelby, Mississippi 38774
Monday, June 26, 1989 9:35 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE RGT FRONT PAX RPRTD THAT JUST AFTER ROTATION FOR TAKEOFF, THE CABIN DOOR (ON THE RGT SIDE OF THE ACFT) CAME OPEN, CREATING A NOISE. HE STATED THAT HE & THE PLT WERE UNABLE TO CLOSE THE DOOR, SO THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND. RPRTDLY, THE PLT MADE A STEEP RGT TURN WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY A STEEP LEFT TURN TO MANEUVER BACK TO THE RWY. HOWEVER, THE ACFT ENTEREDA STEEP DESCENT & CRASHED IN A NOSE DOWN, LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND. THE PAX RPRTD THAT BEFORE THE FLT, HE HAD SHUT THE DOOR, BUT THE PLT DID NOT CHECK TO SEE IF IT WAS LOCKED. ACCORDING TO THE ACFT FLT MANUAL, THE PLT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSURING THE DOOR WAS CLOSED & LOCKED, AND SHOULD THE DOOR COME OPEN IN FLT, HE SHOULD LAND IN A NORMAL MANNER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING BACK TO THE RUNWAY WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENTSTALL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO INSURE THE CABIN DOOR (ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE) WAS PROPERLYCLOSED AND SECURED BEFORE TAKING OFF, THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING AND DECISION BY MAKING STEEP TURNS TO MANEUVER AND LAND, AND THE PILOT'S ATTENTION BEING DIVERTED BY NOISE FROM THE OPEN DOOR (AURAL PERCEPTION).

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/26/1989
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 935
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SHELBY
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38774
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SHELBY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 152
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 950 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 175
Weather Observation Facility ID GLH
Elevation of weather observation facility 180
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 31
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1003
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 26 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1135
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39165
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:46PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1837N
NTSB Number MIA89FA178
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model A36
Aircraft Series Identifier A36
Aircraft Serial Number E1913
Certified Max Gross Weight 3500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 28 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 170
Airframe Hours 1456
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RIVES NEBLETT
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 63
Aircraft Owner City SHELBY
Aircraft Owner State MS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38774
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NESBITT, REEVES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 63
Operator City SHELBY
Operator State MS
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 38774
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 934
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code M95
Destination City FAYETTE
Destination State AL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 3800
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --