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FTW86LA048

1986-03-25 · TALIHINA, Oklahoma, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 6F1

Current FAA registration · N5531D

Make / Model
BEECH A36
Seats / Engines
6 seats · 1 engine
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A70D0F

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

ACFT HAD A LONG DESCENT FROM CRUISE ALT OF 7500' MSL AT REDUCED POWER SETTING DUE TO PLT'S DESIRE TO AVOID THE MODERATE TURBULENCE AT LOWER ALTITUDES. ON SHORT FINAL, OVER TALL TREES, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT. THE PLT STATED THAT WHEN HE APPLIED POWER TO ARREST THE DESCENT RATE, THE ENG HESITATED AND CONSEQUENTLY THE ACFT ENTERED THE TOPS OF THE TREES. WINDS WERE VARIABLE FROM 160 TO 230 DEGS AT 15 TO 26 KTS. HILLY TERRAIN IN THE VICINITY OF THE AIRPORT POSSIBLY CONTRIBUTED TO MECHANICAL TURBULENCE. PLT GAVE NO INDICATION THAT HE EVER ADDED POWER AT ANY TIME DURING THE DESCENT OR INITIAL APPROACH. ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS INDICATE THAT THE CONDITIONS WERE PRESENT FOR THE FORMATION OF INDUCTION ICING AT GLIDE POWER SETTINGS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1986_FTW86LA048.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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