Beech Weekly Accident Update

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

“Beechcraft” is a registered trademark of Textron Aviation, Inc.

THE WEEKLY ACCIDENT UPDATE IS AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCT OF MASTERY FLIGHT TRAINING, INC. 

From unofficial sources

10/26 (time not reported): A Be50’s “landing gear collapsed” on arrival at Butler, Missouri. The pilot was uninjured “but heartbroken” and airplane damage is not reported. N227DS (FH-74) is a 1957 F50 Twin Bonanza.

(“Gear collapse during landing”)

New reports this week

10/23 2100Z (1600 local Tuesday evening): A Be55 “was taxing between two hangars when a city truck backed out of a hangar and struck the right wingtip of the aircraft,” at Miami, Oklahoma. The solo pilot was unhurt and airplane damage is “minor.” N1561W (TC-1445) is a 1972 B55.

(“Struck by vehicle on the ground”—the FAA preliminary report identifies this as an A36, but the registration is for a B55 Baron. Either the FAA’s data entry on this report is in error or the registration number itself was entered incorrectly.)

10/24 0040Z (1940 local Wednesday evening 10/23): A Be55 “landed gear up on Runway 14” at McAllen, Texas. The solo pilot escaped injury and the airplane incurred “minor” damage. N520T (TE-63) is a 1966 95-C55.

(“Gear up landing”)

10/29 1930Z (1430 local Tuesday afternoon): The solo pilot of a Be58 died and the Baron was “destroyed,” after the pilot declared an emergency “due to [a] trim issue.” The airplane crashed in “a densely forested area nine [miles] north of Clinton, Arkansas. Weather conditions were “not reported.” N811PB (TH-194) was a 1972 Baron 58.

(“Loss of control in flight/trim issue”; “Fatal”; “Airplane destroyed”—we’ve reviewed the response to autopilot and trim runaway several times before, and the need for pilots to know the procedure and all possible ways to disconnect the trim system. We’ll return to the topic if investigation reveals malfunctioning trim was indeed a factor). 

New NTSB reports this week 

There are no newly posted piston Beech NTSB reports this week.

2024 SUMMARY

Reported Beechcraft piston mishaps, 2024

Total reported:  119 reports

Environment

Operation in VMC:  54 reports

Operation in IMC:     3 reports

Weather “unknown” or “not reported”:   63 reports

Operation at night:  7 reports

Most Serious Injury 

“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities):   1 report

Fatal accidents:   17 reports

Aircraft damage

“Substantial” damage:   23 reports

Aircraft “destroyed”:    22 reports

BONANZA/BARON Series:   97 reports

By Aircraft Type

Be35 Bonanza   27 reports

Be55 Baron  24 reports

Be36 Bonanza   20 reports

Be33 Debonair/Bonanza   17 reports

Be58 Baron  12 reports

Environment

Operation in VMC:  44 reports

Operation in IMC:   4 reports

Weather “unknown” or “not reported”:  48 reports

Operation at night: 6 reports

Most Serious Injury

“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities):  0 reports

Fatal accidents:  16 reports

Aircraft damage

“Substantial” damage:  15 reports

Aircraft “destroyed”:   20 reports

PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE 

(all subject to update per official findings):

FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS   17 reports

Loss of Control in Flight (LOC-I)   6 reports

Loss of control in flight   2 reports (both Be55s)

Inflight breakup   2 reports (Be35; Be58)

Stall/spin/Loss of control in flight/Dual instruction   1 report (Be55)

Loss of control in flight/trim issue   1 report (Be58)

Impact during takeoff   4 reports

Takeoff/unknown   2 reports (Be36; Be55)

Takeoff/unknown/attempt to return to runway   1 report (Be36)

Loss of directional control during takeoff  1 report (Be33)

Impact during landing   2 reports

Collision with obstacle during landing   1 report (Be55)

Landed short/Collided with vehicle on ground   1 report (Be55)

Engine failure   2 reports

Engine failure in flight   1 report (Be35)

Engine failure immediately after takeoff/ attempt to return to runway   1 report (Be36)

Controlled Flight into Terrain

Controlled Flight into Terrain/Probable VFR flight into IMC   1 report (Be35)

Inflight fire

Fire in flight during go-around   1 report (Be35)

OTHER EVENTS    81 reports

Landing gear related mishaps   42 reports

Gear up landing   17 reports (six Be35s; two Be33s; four Be36s; three Be55s; two Be58s)

Gear collapse during landing   13 reports (four Be33s; Be35; Be36; six Be55s; Be58)

Gear up landing after electrical failure   2 reports (Be33; Be36)

Gear collapse/partial gear extension/electrical failure in flight   1 report (Be55)

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)

Inadvertent gear retraction during takeoff   1 report (Be36)

Gear collapse during takeoff   1 report (Be58)

Engine failure   14 reports

Engine failure in flight   5 reports (two Be33s; two Be35s; Be36)

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)

Engine failure immediately after takeoff  1 report (Be36)

Catastrophic engine failure in flight   1 report (Be55)

Partial power loss immediately after takeoff   1 report (Be36)

Engine failure in the pattern/short final/landed on highway   1 report (Be35)

Impact during landing  13 reports

Loss of directional control during landing  4 reports (Be33; two Be35s; Be55)

Hard landing   4 reports (two Be35s; Be55; Be58)

Runway overrun/door open after liftoff/attempted to land on remaining runway/nose gear collapse   1 report (Be33)

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)

Landed long   1 report (Be58)

Impact during takeoff  4 reports

Runway overrun/aborted takeoff   1 report (Be58)

Loss of directional control during takeoff/crosswinds   1 report (Be35)

Collision with terrain on takeoff/wind shear   1 report (Be36)

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)

Struck by taxiing aircraft   1 report (Be35)

Struck by vehicle on the ground   1 report (Be55)

Windshield separation during pressurized flight   1 report (Be58)

BEECH AERO CLUB Series:   13 reports

By Aircraft Type

Be23 Musketeer/Sundowner   6 reports

Be24 Sierra   4 reports

Be76 Duchess   2 reports

Be19 Sport   1 report

Environment

Operation in VMC:  6 reports

Operation in IMC:    0 reports

Weather “unknown” or “not reported”:  7 reports

Operation at night: 0 reports

Most Serious Injury

“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities):  1 report

Fatal accidents:  0 reports

Aircraft damage

“Substantial” damage:  5 reports

Aircraft “destroyed”:   1 report

PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE 

(all subject to update per official findings):

FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS   1 report

Engine failure immediately after takeoff   1 report (Be23)

OTHER EVENTS    12 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   5 reports

Gear collapse during landing   2 reports (Be24; Be76)

Landing gear mechanical malfunction   1 report (Be24) 

Gear up landing   1 report (Be24)

Gear collapse during takeoff   1 report (Be76)

Engine failure   2 reports

Engine failure in flight   1 report (Be19)

Engine failure on final approach   1 report (Be23)

Impact on takeoff   1 report

Engine failure during/immediately after takeoff  1 report (Be24)

MISCELLANEOUS Models:  11 reports

Be60 Duke   4 reports 

Be45 (T-34) Mentor   3 reports

Be17 Staggerwing   2 reports

Be18 Twin Beech   1 report

Be50 Twin Bonanza   1 report

Environment

Operation in VMC:  6 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:  2 reports

Aircraft damage

“Substantial” damage:  2 reports

Aircraft “destroyed”:   2 reports

PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE 

(all subject to update per official findings):

FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS   1 report

Loss of control while attempting a single-engine landing 1 report (Be60)

OTHER EVENTS   10 reports

Gear up landing   4 reports (two Be45s; two Be60s)

Asymmetric gear extension/inflight system failure   1 report (Be60)

Landed with gear partly extended   1 report (Be17)

Gear collapse during landing   1 report (Be50)

Loss of directional control during landing/tailwheel   1 report (Be18)

Precautionary landing/engine issues   1 report (Be17)

Bird strike   1 report (Be60)

Recognize an N-number?  Please accept my sincere personal condolences if you or anyone you know was involved in a mishap.  I welcome your comments, suggestions and criticisms.

 

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.

Pursue Mastery of Flight

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.