Piston Beechcraft Accidents 6/7/2024 through 6/13/2024
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.
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THE WEEKLY ACCIDENT UPDATE IS AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCT OF MASTERY FLIGHT TRAINING, INC.
New reports this week
6/7 1540Z (1140 local Friday morning): A Be35 “crashed under unknown circumstances into a residential area” at Arvada, Colorado, killing one passengers and causing “serious” injuries to two others and the pilot in a “postcrash fire.” The airplane was destroyed. N150WR (D-8911) was a 1969 V35A-TC.
(“Engine failure in flight” [more momentarily]; “Fatal”; “Airplane destroyed”—the Aviation Safety Network reports:
The aircraft departed KAPA heading to KBJC [a short flight across the Denver metropolitan area]. About 6.5 miles south of the destination, the aircraft reported their oil light was illuminated and the engine was losing power. Shortly after, the pilot advised there were 4 souls on board with 80 gallons of fuel. Shortly after, the pilot reported to tower they would need to ditch the aircraft and was looking for a safe space to land. The aircraft ended up landing in a greenbelt area in a residential neighborhood and caught fire in a home’s driveway.)
6/7 1840Z (1140 local Friday morning): The solo pilot of a Be45 died, and the T-34 was destroyed, when it impacted water “under unknown circumstances” just offshore at Roche Harbor, Washington. N268AF (G-828) was a T-34A.
(“Impact with water/terrain”; “Fatal”; “Aircraft destroyed”—television news ran a video, since widely circulated, of the airplane apparently entering a Split S from a low altitude and not quite recovering from the dive before hitting the water with enough force to explode in a fireball on the surface. The pilot was the Apollo 8 lunar module pilot with over 40,000 reported flight hours and was 90 years old).
6/11 0300Z (2100 local Monday evening 6/10): A Be55 was landing at Colorado Springs, Colorado when the Baron’s right main landing gear collapsed. The two aboard were unhurt and airplane damage is “unknown.” N321N (TE-583) is a 1968 D55.
(“Gear collapse during landing”)
New NTSB reports this week
There are no newly posted piston Beech NTSB reports this week.
2024 SUMMARY
Reported Beechcraftâ piston mishaps, 2024
Total reported: 57 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 23 reports
Operation in IMC: 1 report
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 33 reports
Operation at night: 6 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 0 reports
Fatal accidents: 7 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 14 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 9 reports
BONANZA/BARON Series: 46 reports
By Aircraft Type
Be35 Bonanza 17 reports
Be36 Bonanza 10 reports
Be55 Baron 11 reports
Be33 Debonair/Bonanza 7 reports
Be58 Baron 3 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 18 reports
Operation in IMC: 1 report
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 26 reports
Operation at night: 5 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 0 reports
Fatal accidents: 7 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 9 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 7 reports
PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE
(all subject to update per official findings):
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS 8 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) 2 reports
Stall/spin/Loss of control in flight/Dual instruction 1 report (Be55)
Inflight breakup 1 report (Be35)
Inflight fire
Fire in flight during go-around 1 report (Be35)
Engine failure
Engine failure in flight 1 report (Be35)
Impact during takeoff
Takeoff/unknown/attempt to return to runway 1 report (Be36)
OTHER EVENTS 38 reports
Landing gear related mishaps 21 reports
Gear up landing 7 reports (Be23/24, three Be35s; two Be36s; Be55)
Gear collapse during landing 7 reports (two Be33s; Be35; Be36; three 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)
Impact during landing 5 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)
Porpoised on landing 1 report (Be33)
Engine failure 5 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)
Engine failure in the traffic pattern 1 report (Be33)
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
Bird strike 2 reports (Be33; Be36)
Severe turbulence/hail encounter 1 report (Be58)
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 10 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: 3 reports
Be45 (T-34) Mentor 2 reports
Be60 Duke 1 report
Environment
Operation in VMC: 2 reports
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: 1 report
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 1 report
Aircraft “destroyed”: 1 report
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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