Piston Beechcraft Accidents July 8 through July 15, 2026
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
7/10 0523Z (0023 local Friday midnight): Both persons aboard a Be55 perished and the Baron was “destroyed” when it “crashed under unknown circumstances into a tree” at Waterloo, Illinois. N202DK (TC-2152) was a 1978 B55.
(“Loss of control in flight/attempted visual flight in areas of adverse weather at night”; “Fatal”; “Airplane destroyed”; “Night”—this crash received significant press including mainstream media, that report variations of this:
Authorities said their preliminary information indicates the plane departed from St. Louis Regional Airport and was en route to Siloam Springs Municipal Airport in Arkansas. Investigators disclosed that the duo attended a Cardinals home game prior to the crash.
According to investigators, the plane may have attempted to fly during the developing severe weather. Flight data shows the plane appeared to begin a turn, possibly to avoid the storm, before entering what appeared to be a descending spiral.
ADS-B data appears to confirm the initial reports).
7/13 1329Z (0929 local Monday morning): The solo pilot of a Be55 died in a crash of “unknown circumstances” during takeoff at Metter, Georgia. The Baron was “destroyed” in a “post-crash fire.” N55FD (TC-1857) was a 1975 B55.
(“Takeoff/unknown”; “Fatal”; “Aircraft destroyed”—The Aviation Safety Network tells us that weather was IMC with a broken ceiling, good visibility and light winds. Flightaware shows the pilot had made a roughly 45-minute stop, probably for fuel, on a trip toward his home in Florida. The airplane never got above 500 feet, according to FlightAware. The FAA preliminary report says the crash occurred during takeoff after the brief stop).
7/14 1508Z (1008 local Tuesday morning): A Be95’s nose gear collapsed during landing at Murray, Kentucky. The two aboard were unhurt and airplane damage is “unknown.” N95HJ (TD-615) is a 1965 D95A.
(“Gear collapse during landing”)
NTSB Preliminary Reports
There are no newly posted piston Beech NTSB preliminary reports for 2026 this week.
2026 SUMMARY
Reported Beechcraft piston mishaps, 2026
Total reported: 71 reports
BONANZA/BARON Series: 61 reports
Bonanza, Debonair, Baron, Travel Air
By Model
Be35 Bonanza 20 reports
Be33 Debonair/Bonanza 13 reports
Be36 Bonanza 13 reports
Be58 Baron 10 reports
Be55 Baron 4 reports
Be95 Travel Air 1 report
Environment
Operation in VMC: 36 reports
Operation in IMC: 2 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 21 reports
Operation at night: 3 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 1 report
Fatal accidents: 11 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 9 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 11 reports
PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE
(all subject to update per official findings):
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS 12 reports
Loss of control in flight (LOC-I) 4 reports
Loss of control in IMC 1 report (Be36)
Loss of control during an instrument approach in IMC 1 report (Be36)
Loss of control in flight/multiengine instruction 1 report (Be58)
Loss of control in flight/attempted visual flight in areas of adverse weather at night 1 report (Be55)
Engine failure 3 reports
Catastrophic engine failure in flight 1 report (Be36)
Partial power loss in cruise/turbocharger failure 1 report (Be36)
Dual engine failure in flight 1 report (Be55)
Impact during visual approach and landing
Approach/unknown 1 report (Be36)
Landing/unknown 1 report (Be58)
Impact during/immediately after takeoff
Takeoff/unknown 2 reports (Be33; Be55)
Other
Crash/unknown 1 report (Be35)
OTHER EVENTS 48 reports
Landing gear related mishaps 24 reports
Gear up landing 11 reports (four Be33s; four Be35s; three Be58s)
Gear collapse during landing 9 reports (Be33; two Be35s; two Be36s; three Be58s; Be95)
Gear collapse during landing/electrical failure in flight 1 report (Be35)
Gear collapse during touch-and-go 1 report (Be33)
Intentional gear up landing/mechanical nose gear failure 1 report (Be36)
Nose gear detached during landing 1 report (Be36)
Engine failure 13 reports
Engine failure in flight 9 reports (five Be35s; three Be33s; Be36)
Engine failure immediately after takeoff 2 reports (Be35; Be36)
Propeller separation in flight 1 report (Be58)
Dual engine failure/multiengine airplane 1 report (Be55)
Impact during landing 5 reports
Loss of directional control during landing 2 reports (Be35; Be36)
Runway overrun 1 report (Be58)
Collision with an airplane that pulled on onto runway 1 report (Be35)
Loss of directional control during landing/blown tire 1 report (Be36)
Impact during takeoff 3 reports
Stall during/immediately after takeoff 2 reports (Be35, Be36)
Gear retraction prior to attaining a positive rate of climb/gear up landing 1 report (Be35)
Other
Taxi into object/obstruction 1 report (Be35)
Control failure in flight 1 report (Be33)
Crash/unknown 1 report (Be35)
BEECH AERO CLUB Series: 9 reports
Skipper, Musketeer, Sundowner, Sierra, Duchess
By Model
Be76 Duchess 3 reports
Be19 Sport 2 reports
Be23 Musketeer, Sundowner 2 reports
Be24 Sierra 2 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 7 reports
Operation in IMC: 0 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 2 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”: 0 reports
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS 0 reports
OTHER EVENTS 9 reports
Impact during landing 3 reports
Loss of directional control during landing 1 report (Be23)
Loss of directional control during landing/Simulated single-engine landing 1 report (Be76)
Right main gear failure/Corrosion/Loss of directional control during landing 1 report (Be19)
Engine failure 3 reports
Engine failure in flight/attempted single-engine landing 1 report (Be76)
Engine failure after takeoff/runway overrun on return 1 report (Be23)
Engine failure in flight 1 report (Be19)
Landing gear related mishaps 3 reports
Gear up landing 2 reports (Be24; Be76)
Gear collapse during landing 1 report (Be76)
MISCELLANEOUS Models: 2 reports
Staggerwing, Twin Beech, Twin Bonanza, Duke, Queen Air, T-34
By Model
Be60 Duke 1 report
Be65 Queen Air 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: 0 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 0 reports
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS 0 reports
OTHER EVENTS 2 reports
Impact during landing 1 report
Collision with wires during landing (Be60)
Landing gear related mishaps
Gear collapse during landing 1 report (Be65)
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Please accept my sincere personal condolences if you or anyone you know was involved in a mishap. I welcome your comments, suggestions and criticisms.