Piston Beechcraft Accidents 3/7/2024 through 3/14/2024
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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THE WEEKLY ACCIDENT UPDATE IS AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCT OF MASTERY FLIGHT TRAINING, INC.
New reports this week
3/9 1625Z (1025 local Saturday morning): A Be35 landed, then “veered off [the] runway and hit a runway light” at Kansas City, Missouri. The two aboard were unhurt and damage is listed as “none.” N84TT (D-6942) is a 1962 P35.
(“Loss of directional control during landing”)
3/11 0630Z (2330Z local Sunday night 3/10/24): A Be60 “landed gear up” at Chino, California. The pilot and six passengers escaped injury; airplane damage is “unknown.” N167U (P-99) is a 1969 Model 60 Duke.
(“Gear up landing”; “Night”—presumably at least some of the passengers were infants being held by belted passengers. The Aviation Safety Network says confidence in the details is high and has been “verified through data from accident investigation authorities.”).
3/12 2302Z (1902 local Monday evening): A Be35 “experienced engine issues and crashed in a field” at Front Royal, Virginia. The solo pilot escaped injury despite “substantial” airplane damage. N59MK (D-6152) was a 1959 K35.
(“Engine failure in flight”; “Airplane destroyed”—a Facebook post shows the airplane impacted apparently level and under control. The wings are sheared off outboard the landing gear wells—this is an example of the old adage to “aim between two trees to let the wings absorb the impact.” Whether that was intentional or not, the pilot did a good job of keeping the airplane under control after the engine failure. From the photos an airplane of this vintage will most likely be written off).
New NTSB reports this week
There are no newly posted 2024 piston Beechcraft NTSB reports this week.
2024 SUMMARY
Reported Beechcraft piston mishaps, 2024:
Total reported: 25 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 13 reports
Operation in IMC: 1 report
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 12 reports
Operation at night: 5 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 0 reports
Fatal accidents: 3 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 6 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 4 reports
BONANZA/BARON Series: 19 reports
By Aircraft Type
Be35 Bonanza 7 reports
Be55 Baron 5 reports
Be33 Debonair/Bonanza 2 reports
Be58 Baron 3 reports
Be36 Bonanza 2 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 8 reports
Operation in IMC: 1 report
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 10 reports
Operation at night: 4 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 0 reports
Fatal accidents: 4 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 4 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 3 reports
PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE
(all subject to update per official findings):
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS 5 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)
Stall/spin/Loss of control in flight/Dual instruction 1 report (Be55)
Inflight fire
Fire in flight during go-around 1 report (Be35)
OTHER EVENTS 14 reports
Landing gear related mishaps 7 reports
Gear collapse during landing 3 reports (Be33; Be35; Be55)
Gear up landing 1 report (Be35)
Inadvertent gear retraction during landing 1 report (Be58)
Inadvertent gear retraction during taxi 1 report (Be35)
Wheel separation during landing 1 report (Be36)
Impact during landing 2 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)
Engine failure 2 reports
Engine failure in flight 2 reports (both Be35s)
Impact during takeoff
Runway overrun/aborted takeoff 1 report (Be58)
Miscellaneous
Severe turbulence/hail encounter 1 report (Be58)
Bird strike 1 report (Be36)
BEECH AERO CLUB Series: 5 reports
By Aircraft Type
Be23 Musketeer/Sundowner 3 reports
Be24 Sierra 1 report
Be76 Duchess 1 report
Environment
Operation in VMC: 5 reports
Operation in IMC: 0 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 0 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: 2 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 5 reports
Impact on landing 3 reports
Hard landing/nose gear collapse/destroyed by fire 1 report (Be23)
Loss of directional control during landing/runway excursion 1 report (Be23)
Loss of directional control during attempted go-around 1 report (Be23)
Landing gear mishaps 2 reports
Gear collapse during landing 1 report (Be76)
Gear up landing 1 report (Be24)
MISCELLANEOUS Models: 2 reports
By Aircraft Type
Be45 (T-34) Mentor 1 report
Be60 Duke 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
PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE
(all subject to update per official findings):
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS 0 reports
OTHER EVENTS 2 reports
Gear up landing 2 reports (Be45; Be60)
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