Piston Beechcraft Accidents 10/31/2024 through 11/7/2024
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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New reports this week
10/27 2255Z (1755 local Sunday evening): A Be36 “struck surveying equipment after landing” at Pineville, Louisiana. The solo pilot was not hurt and airplane damage is “unknown.” N3046K (E-2362) is a 1987 A36.
(“Collision with obstacle during landing”)
10/30 1615Z (1115 local Wednesday morning): A Be35 landed gear up at Batesville, Mississippi. The two aboard were unhurt; airplane damage is “unknown.” N3523B (D-3740) is a 1954 E35.
(“Gear up landing”)
11/1 2147Z (1447 local Friday afternoon): A Be77 landed gear up at Camarillo, California. The three aboard escaped injury and airplane damage is “unknown.” N59DL (ME-143) is a 1979 Duchess.
(“Gear up landing”)
11/4 0030Z (1830 local Sunday evening 11/3/24): A Be95 “struck a coyote” during a night landing at Jasper, Alabama. The two aboard the Travel Air were not hurt, and airplane damage is “minor.” N95DJ (TD-556) is a 1963 D95A.
(“Struck object/animal during landing”; “Night”)
New NTSB reports this week
10/8 quintuple-fatality B55 crash immediately after a night takeoff from Avalon, Catalina Island, California. From the report (with my emphasis added):
On October 8, 2024, at 2005 Pacific daylight time, a Beech 95-B55, N73WA, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Avalon, California. The pilot, two pilot rated passengers, and two student pilot passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
On the afternoon of October 8, a flight instructor and two student pilots were preparing to depart Catalina Airport (AVX), Avalon, in a rented, single engine airplane. The rental airplane experienced a magneto malfunction during preflight, which prevented them from departing. The stranded pilots contacted the flight school they had rented the airplane from and were informed another airplane would fly to AVX from Santa Monica Municipal Airport (SMO), Santa Monica, California, to pick them up and fly them back to SMO.
Catalina Airport is a non-towered airport located on a flat plateau with descending terrain on either end of the runway. The reported airport elevation is 1,601 ft mean sea level (msl). Airport operating hours are 0800-1700 and the single concrete runway, runway 4/22, was not equipped with runway lighting and night operations are not permitted.
Information provided by the flight school indicated that the responding airplane was not operated by the flight school and belonged to an acquaintance of the owner of the flight school. The airport manager at AVX stated that he gave the pilots permission to land at AVX after closing hours, and relayed to them they had to depart before sundown at 1831. The airplane subsequently landed at AVX at 1820. The pilots shut down both engines, loaded the stranded pilots, and attempted to restart the engines. During restart the right engine would not start due to insufficient battery power. The occupants exited the airplane, and an extension cord was then attached to an on-board battery charger.
The pilots were informed by the airport manager that since the time required to charge the battery would extend beyond sunset that a post-sunset departure would not be approved. The pilot / airplane owner informed the airport manager that he had to go and intended to depart anyway. The airport manager advised him that, while he could not stop him, his departure would be unapproved and at his own risk. The airport manager then went to his residence, and about 2000, heard what sounded like a normal departure.
Airport security video captured the airplane taking off on runway 22. The video showed dark night conditions were present as the airplane came into view during the takeoff roll about 2004. It was not possible to discern in the video if the airplane was airborne or not prior to reaching the end of the runway. As the airplane reached the departure end of the runway it descended out of view of the camera.
Preliminary ADS-B data showed that the airplane may have become airborne around midpoint of the runway and maintained a low altitude until reaching the departure end of the runway. The ADS-B data showed the airplane continued a slight descent after takeoff followed by a right turn until the data ended about 0.6 miles west of the departure end of runway 22.
The airplane impacted the east face of a ridgeline about 0.7 miles west of the last recorded ADS-B target and about .96 miles west-southwest of the departure end of runway 22 at an elevation of about 1,230 ft msl. Ground scars were consistent with the airplane striking the ground on a 280° heading in a wings level attitude with the landing gear extended. The main wreckage came to rest in a ravine about 450 ft west of the initial impact point.
The wreckage was recovered and transported to a secure location for examination later.
According to the airport manager, the sky at the time of the accident was clear from the airport surface and above, and there was a light breeze from the North Northwest, approximately perpendicular to the runway. An hour post-accident he observed cloud tops approximately 200 feet below airport elevation off the departure end of the runway. The wreckage was located below the cloud tops.
Change “Crash/Unknown” to “Controlled Flight into Terrain/Descended level into terrain/Night takeoff.”
2024 SUMMARY
Reported Beechcraft piston mishaps, 2024
Total reported: 123 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 55 reports
Operation in IMC: 3 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 67 reports
Operation at night: 8 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: 100 reports
By Aircraft Type
Be35 Bonanza 28 reports
Be55 Baron 24 reports
Be36 Bonanza 21 reports
Be33 Debonair/Bonanza 17 reports
Be58 Baron 12 reports
Be95 Travel Air 1 report
Environment
Operation in VMC: 45 reports
Operation in IMC: 4 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 50 reports
Operation at night: 7 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 3 reports
Takeoff/unknown 1 report (Be36)
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 2 reports
Controlled Flight into Terrain/Probable VFR flight into IMC 1 report (Be35)
Controlled Flight into Terrain/Descended level into terrain/Night takeoff 1 report (Be55)
Inflight fire
Fire in flight during go-around 1 report (Be35)
OTHER EVENTS 84 reports
Landing gear related mishaps 43 reports
Gear up landing 18 reports (seven 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)
Struck object/animal during landing 2 reports (Be36; Be95)
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: 14 reports
By Aircraft Type
Be23 Musketeer/Sundowner 6 reports
Be24 Sierra 4 reports
Be76 Duchess 3 reports
Be19 Sport 1 report
Environment
Operation in VMC: 6 reports
Operation in IMC: 0 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 8 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 13 reports
Landing gear mishaps 6 reports
Gear up landing 2 reports (Be24; Be76)
Gear collapse during landing 2 reports (Be24; Be76)
Landing gear mechanical malfunction 1 report (Be24)
Gear collapse during takeoff 1 report (Be76)
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)
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.
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