Piston Beechcraft Accidents 7/3/2024 through 7/17/2024
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.
New reports this week
7/1 0000Z (1900 local Sunday evening): A Be35 landed gear up at Marshall, Minnesota. The solo pilot wasn’t hurt and there is “unknown” airplane damage. N5367E (D-5846) is a 1959 K35.
(“Gear up landing”)
7/1 1530Z (0930 local Monday morning): A Be17 “landed with [its] gear partly extended and incurred a prop strike” at Smiley Creek, Idaho. The three aboard report no injury and the Staggerwing has “minor” damage. N1185V (Construction Number 6746) is a 1944 D17S.
(“Landed with gear partly extended”)
7/2 2206Z (1506 local Tuesday afternoon): A Be33 “experienced engine issues and landed on a highway” in Death Valley, California. The two aboard were not hurt and there is no reported airplane damage. N539T (CD-337) is a 1961 35-A33.
(“Engine failure in flight”)
7/11 2228Z (1528 local Thursday afternoon): A Be55 landed gear up at Hawthorne, California. The four aboard were unhurt and airplane damage is “unknown.” N111FD (TE-66) is a 1966 95-C55.
(“Gear up landing”)
7/13 1320Z (0620 local Saturday morning): While “taxiing to the runup area” at Chandler, Arizona, a Be33’s “wing clipped the wing” of a Piper Archer. No one was hurt and damage to the Debonair was “minor.” N6125V (CD-857) is a 1965 35-C33.
(“Taxi into obstacle/aircraft”)
7/14 1925Z (1425 local Sunday afternoon): A Be58 landed gear up at Hot Springs, Arkansas. All three aboard were unhurt and airplane damage is “unknown.” N444KG (TH-663) is a 1975 Baron 58.
(“Gear up landing”)
7/15 2005Z (1305 local Monday afternoon): A Be55 was landing at San Diego, California, when it’s gear collapsed. The two aboard escaped injury and airplane damage is “unknown.” N1333 (TC-1100) is a 1968 B55.
(“Gear collapse during landing”)
New NTSB reports this week
6/7 fatal T-34 collision with water at Deer Harbor, Washington. Witness reports suggest the pilot entered a Split S aerobatic maneuver at an altitude from which it could not recover before impacting the water.
2024 SUMMARY
Reported Beechcraftâ piston mishaps, 2024
Total reported: 69 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 28 reports
Operation in IMC: 1 report
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 41 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: 15 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 9 reports
BONANZA/BARON Series: 57 reports
By Aircraft Type
Be35 Bonanza 19 reports
Be55 Baron 14 reports
Be33 Debonair/Bonanza 11 reports
Be36 Bonanza 11 reports
Be58 Baron 4 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 22 reports
Operation in IMC: 1 report
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 32 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 49 reports
Landing gear related mishaps 26 reports
Gear up landing 10 reports (Be23/24, four Be35s; two Be36s; two Be55s; Be58)
Gear collapse during landing 9 reports (two Be33s; Be35; Be36; five 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)
Gear up landing after electrical failure 1 report (Be33)
Engine failure 9 reports
Engine failure in flight 4 reports (two Be33s; two Be35s)
Engine failure during takeoff/overran runaway 1 report (Be35)
Engine failure during takeoff/loss of directional control on runway 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 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)
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)
Taxi into obstacle/aircraft 1 report (Be33)
Crash/unknown 1 report (Be36)
BEECH AERO CLUB Series: 11 reports
By Aircraft Type
Be23 Musketeer/Sundowner 4 reports
Be24 Sierra 4 reports
Be76 Duchess 2 reports
Be19 Sport 1 report
Environment
Operation in VMC: 5 reports
Operation in IMC: 0 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 6 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: 4 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)
Engine failure 1 report
Engine failure in flight 1 report (Be19)
MISCELLANEOUS Models: 4 reports
Be45 (T-34) Mentor 2 reports
Be17 Staggerwing 1 report
Be60 Duke 1 report
Environment
Operation in VMC: 2 reports
Operation in IMC: 0 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 2 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 4 reports
Gear up landing 2 reports (Be45; Be60)
Asymmetric gear extension/inflight system failure 1 report (Be60)
Landed with gear partly extended 1 report (Be17)
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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