Piston Beechcraft Accidents August 20 – August 26, 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.
©2026 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.
Pursue Mastery of Flight
From Unofficial Sources
8/21 (1620 local time Wednesday afternoon): The Aviation Safety Network reports: There were no injuries, and damage to the Be36 are “unknown,” when the Bonanza “crashed under unknown circumstances” at Smiley Creek, Idaho. ASN adds: “[It] appears to be a runway overshot [sic].” N43LV (E-3546) is a 2005 A36.
(“Landed long,” until we hear more)
8/25 (1120 local time Tuesday morning): The Aviation Safety Network reports: A Be58 Baron “crashed under unknown circumstances into the sea off Angurugu, Gulf of Carpentaria. Search operations are in progress. The owner and operator, Air Frontier, has since grounded their fleet of Beechcraft Barons as a precautionary measure.” The solo pilot on the “positioning” flight is reported dead and the airplane is presumed “destroyed.” VH-AKH (TH-972) was a 1978 Baron 58.
(“Crash/unknown”; “Fatal”; “Airplane destroyed”)
New NTSB Reports This Week
6/24 Baron 58 gear up landing at Traverse City, Michigan—a classic distraction scenario.
2026 SUMMARY
Reported Beechcraft piston mishaps, 2026
Total Reports 2026 88
Bonanza/Baron Series 74 reports
Bonanza, Debonair, Baron, Travel Air
By Model
35 Bonanza 22 reports
33 Debonair/Bonanza 15 reports
36 Bonanza 19 reports
95 Travel Air 1 reports
55 Baron 4 reports
56 Turbo Baron 0 reports
58 Baron 13 reports
Environment
VMC 36
IMC 3
Not reported 34
Night 3
Most Serious Injury
Fatal 13
Serious 1
Minor 4
None 56
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed 15
Substantial 23
Minor 7
None 5
Not reported 24
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY 14 reports
Loss of Control in Flight 5 reports
Thunderstorm penetration 1 report (Be36)
During instrument approach 1 report (Be36)
During engine-out training 1 report (Be58)
VFR in IMC (night) 1 report (Be55)
Stall after takeoff 1 report (Be55)
Engine Failure 3 reports
Engine failure in flight 1 report (Be36)
Dual engine failure in flight 1 report (Be55)
Turbonormalizer separation 1 report (Be36)
Other/Unknown 5 reports
Takeoff/unknown 2 reports (Be33; Be35)
Approach/unknown 1 report (Be36)
Landing/unknown 1 report (Be58)
Crash/unknown 2 reports (Be35; Be58)
OTHER Accidents/Incidents 60 reports
Landing Gear Mishaps 31 reports
Gear Collapse During Landing 9 reports (Be33, two Be35s, three Be36s, three Be58s)
Gear Collapse/Electrical Failure 2 reports (Be33, Be35)
Gear Collapse/Incomplete Manual Extension 1 report (Be33)
Gear Collapse/Inadvertent Retraction 1 report (Be58)
Gear Collapse/Touch and Go 1 report (Be33)
Gear Collapse/PIO on Landing 1 report (Be36)
Total Gear Collapse 15 reports
Gear Up Landing 13 reports (six Be33s, four Be35s, Be36; two Be58s)
Gear Up/Insufficient TO Climb 1 report (Be35)
Total Gear Up 14 reports
Known Mechanical Failure 2 reports (Be36; Be95)
Engine failure 16 reports
Engine Failure in Flight 8 reports (3 Be33s, 4 Be35s, Be36)
Takeoff/Initial Climb 3 reports (2 Be35, Be36)
Catastrophic Failure/ Oil Loss 2 reports (Be35, Be36)
Fuel Exhaustion 1 report (Be55)
Propeller Separation in Flight 1 report (Be58)
Loss of Control Inflight (LOC-I) 3 reports
Stall Immediately After Takeoff 2 reports (Be35, Be36)
Stall During Go-Around 1 report (Be35)
Impact During Landing 4 reports
Loss Directional Control on Runway 2 reports (both Be36s)
Runway Overrun 2 reports (Br36; Be58)
Collision with Animal on Runway 1 report (Be58)
Impact on Takeoff 1 report
Collision with Obstacle / TO 1 report (Be35)
Other 4 reports
Control Failure in Flight 1 report (Be33)
Collision w/ Obstacle/Taxi 1 report (Be35)
Unknown (aircraft abandoned) 1 report (Be58)
Bird strike 1 report (Be36)
Aero Club Series 11 reports
Skipper, Sport, Musketeer, Sundowner, Sierra, Duchess
By Model
19 Sport 2 reports
23 Musketeer/Custom/Sundowner 3 reports
24 Sierra 2 reports
76 Duchess 4 reports
77 Skipper 0 reports
Environment
VMC 6
IMC 0
Not reported 5
Night 0
Most Serious Injury
Fatal 0
Serious 0
Minor 0
None 11
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed 0
Substantial 5
Minor 3
None 0
Not reported 3
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY 0 reports
OTHER Accidents/Incidents 11 reports
Landing Gear Mishaps 5 reports
Gear Up Landing 2 reports (both Be24s)
Gear Collapse During Landing 1 report (Be76)
Corrosion/Gear Separation 1 report (Be19)
Nose Gear Did Not Extend 1 report (Be24)
Engine Failure 3 reports
Engine Failure in Flight 3 reports (Be19, Be24, Be76)
Impact During Landing 2 reports
Loss Directional Control on Runway 1 report (Be23)
LODC-R Sim. Single Engine 1 report (Be76)
Miscellaneous Models 3 reports
Staggerwing, Twin Beech, Twin Bonanza, Duke, Queen Air, T-34
By Model
17 Staggerwing 0 reports
18 Twin Beech/C-45 2 reports
45 Mentor/T-34 0 reports
50 Twin Bonanza 0 reports
60 Duke 0 reports
65 Queen Air 1 report
Environment
VMC 1
IMC 0
Not reported 2
Night 0
Most Serious Injury
Fatal 1
Serious 0
Minor 0
None 2
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed 1
Substantial 0
Minor 0
None 0
Not reported 2
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY 1 report
Takeoff/unknown 1 report (Be18)
OTHER Accidents/Incidents 2 reports
Landing Gear Mishaps 1 report
Gear Collapse During Landing 1 report (Be65)
Impact on Landing 1 report
Inflight Fire/LODC-R 1 report (Be18)