Piston Beechcraft Accidents 4/25/2024 through 5/8/2024
Official information from FAA and NTSB sources (unless otherwise noted). Editorial comments (contained in parentheses), year-to-date summary and closing comments are those of the author. All information is preliminary and subject to change. Comments are meant solely to enhance flying safety. Please use these reports to help you more accurately evaluate the potential risks when you make your own decisions about how and when to fly. ©2024 Mastery Flight Training, Inc. All Rights Reserved
THE WEEKLY ACCIDENT UPDATE IS AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCT OF MASTERY FLIGHT TRAINING, INC.
From unofficial sources
4/11 1420 local time: The Aviation Safety Network reports a Be55:
…flipped upside down during landing at runway 33 at Cowra Airport (CWT/YCWR), Cowra, New South Wales. The pilot and passenger were injured and the aircraft received substantial damage.
VH-OMD (TE-970) is a 1974 E55.
(“Loss of control during landing/airplane flipped upside down”; “Substantial damage”—the FlightAware track, when replayed, suggests the Baron flew an instrument approach and to Runway 15 and circled to land on Runway 33 before impact. A local news photo shows the Baron, gear down, upside down in the grass alongside the runway. The extent of injuries to the two aboard was not yet reported.)
New reports this week
4/24 2200Z (1800 local Wednesday evening): A Be55 “landed gear up” at Greenville, South Carolina. The solo pilot escaped injury despite “substantial” airplane damage. N333HE (TE-1068) is a 1976 E55.
(“Gear up landing”)
4/27 1322Z (0922 local Saturday morning): A Be35 “crashed shortly after takeoff” from McAlpin, Florida. The Bonanza impacted “in a field and caught on fire,” being “destroyed” as a result. The two persons aboard escaped with no reported injuries. N3880B (D-4133) was a 1955 F35.
(“Takeoff/unknown”; “Airplane destroyed”)
4/29 1425Z (0725 local Monday morning): A Be36 “landed gear up” at Glendale, Arizona. The solo pilot was unhurt and airplane damage is “minor.” N67551 (E-2119) is a 1983 A36.
(“Gear up landing”)
5/2 0829Z (0429 local Thursday morning): A Be36 “crashed under unknown circumstances shortly after takeoff” at Augusta, Georgia. The airplane impacted in “a residential neighborhood” and “there was a post-crash fire.” The pilot, alone in the aircraft, died, and the aircraft has “substantial” damage. N629BE (E-3287) was a 1999 A36.
(“Takeoff/unknown/attempt to return to runway”; “Fatal”; “Airplane destroyed [more momentarily]”—the Aviation Safety Network reports:
A Beechcraft A36 Bonanza, N629BE, was destroyed when it struck a tree and crashed during an attempted return to Daniel Field (DNL/KDL), Augusta, Georgia.
The plane took off from Daniel Field and was bound for New Haven, Connecticut, according to flight records. It was returning to the airfield when it struck a tree and crashed, authorities said.)
5/7 1830Z (1430 local Tuesday afternoon): A Be35 landed gear up at Punta Gorda, Florida. The solo pilot reports no injury and the extent of airplane damage is “unknown.” N4975B (D-5567) is a 1958 J35.
(“Gear up landing”)
New NTSB reports this week
4/22 B24R engine power loss after takeoff at Lumberton, New Jersey. The NTSB reports:
Witnesses reported that the airplane’s engine was running rough on takeoff. The airplane departed and subsequently lost engine power. The pilot made a forced landing to a field about 1,500 ft beyond the end of the runway resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage.
Change “Takeoff/unknown” to “Engine failure during/immediately after takeoff” and add “Substantial damage.” I’ve written many times here and elsewhere about setting Takeoff Targets and measuring airplane performance against those targets, to detect anomalies and abort the takeoff as soon as you determine the airplane is not performing as expected. If in fact the engine was “running rough” during the takeoff the pilot could have detected failure to meet the “Power” target and might have been able to abort the takeoff while still on the runway.
2024 SUMMARY
Reported Beechcraft piston mishaps, 2024
Total reported: 49 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 19 reports
Operation in IMC: 1 report
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 29 reports
Operation at night: 6 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 0 reports
Fatal accidents: 4 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 13 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 6 reports
BONANZA/BARON Series
39 reports
By Aircraft Type
Be35 Bonanza 15 reports
Be55 Baron 10 reports
Be36 Bonanza 9 reports
Be33 Debonair/Bonanza 4 reports
Be58 Baron 3 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 15 reports
Operation in IMC: 1 report
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 22 reports
Operation at night: 5 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 0 reports
Fatal accidents: 5 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 8 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 5 reports
PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE
(all subject to update per official findings):
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS 6 reports
Impact during landing 2 reports
Collision with obstacle during landing 1 report (Be55)
Landed short/Collided with vehicle on ground 1 report (Be55)
Loss of Control in Flight (LOC-I)
Stall/spin/Loss of control in flight/Dual instruction 1 report (Be55)
Inflight fire
Fire in flight during go-around 1 report (Be35)
Impact during takeoff
Takeoff/unknown/attempt to return to runway 1 report (Be36)
OTHER EVENTS 33 reports
Landing gear related mishaps 19 reports
Gear up landing 7 reports (Be23/24, three Be35s; two Be36s; Be55)
Gear collapse during landing 5 reports (two Be33s; Be35; two Be55s)
Inadvertent gear retraction during landing 1 report (Be58)
Inadvertent gear retraction during taxi 1 report (Be35)
Wheel separation during landing 1 report (Be36)
Gear collapse during landing/Post-crash fire 1 report (Be36)
Inadvertent gear retraction on the ground/touch and go 1 report (Be35)
Engine failure 4 reports
Engine failure in flight 2 reports (both Be35s)
Engine failure during takeoff/overran runaway 1 report (Be35)
Engine failure/oil pressure loss in flight/off-airport landing 1 report (Be36)
Impact during landing 4 reports
Runway overrun/door open after liftoff/attempted to land on remaining runway/nose gear collapse 1 report (Be33)
Loss of directional control during landing 1 report (Be35)
Propeller strike/damage to both wings during landing 1 report (Be35)
Loss of control during landing/airplane flipped upside down 1 report (Be55)
Impact during takeoff 3 reports
Runway overrun/aborted takeoff 1 report (Be58)
Loss of directional control during takeoff/crosswinds 1 report (Be35)
Takeoff/unknown 1 report (Be35)
Miscellaneous
Severe turbulence/hail encounter 1 report (Be58)
Bird strike 1 report (Be36)
Taxiway excursion at night 1 report (Be36)
Cowling came off in flight 1 report (Be36)
BEECH AERO CLUB Series
10 reports
By Aircraft Type
Be23 Musketeer/Sundowner 4 reports
Be24 Sierra 4 reports
Be76 Duchess 2 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 5 reports
Operation in IMC: 0 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 5 reports
Operation at night: 0 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 0 reports
Fatal accidents: 0 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 3 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 1 report
PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE
(all subject to update per official findings):
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS 0 reports
OTHER EVENTS 11 reports
Impact on landing 4 reports
Loss of directional control during landing/runway excursion 2 reports (Be23; Be23-24)
Hard landing/nose gear collapse/destroyed by fire 1 report (Be23)
Loss of directional control during attempted go-around 1 report (Be23)
Landing gear mishaps 4 reports
Gear collapse during landing 1 report (Be76)
Landing gear mechanical malfunction 1 report (Be24)
Gear up landing 1 report (Be24)
Gear collapse during takeoff 1 report (Be76)
Impact on takeoff 1 report
Engine failure during/immediately after takeoff 1 report (Be24)
MISCELLANEOUS Models
2 reports
Be45 (T-34) Mentor 1 report
Be60 Duke 1 report
Environment
Operation in VMC: 1 report
Operation in IMC: 0 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 1 report
Operation at night: 0 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 0 reports
Fatal accidents: 0 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 1 report
Aircraft “destroyed”: 0 reports
PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE
(all subject to update per official findings):
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS 0 reports
OTHER EVENTS 2 reports
Gear up landing 1 report (Be60)
Asymmetric gear extension/inflight system failure 1 report (Be60)
Recognize an N-number? Want to check on friends or family that may have been involved in a cited mishap? Click here to find the registered owner. Please accept my sincere personal condolences if you or anyone you know was involved in a mishap. I welcome your comments, suggestions and criticisms.
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