Piston Beechcraft Accidents 6/21/2024 through 7/2/2024
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
6/22 1608Z (1008 local Saturday morning): A Be35 was taking off at Belen, New Mexico when it “lost power” and “veered off the runway.” The two aboard were unhurt and airplane damage is “unknown.” N693V (D-6444) is a 1960 M35.
(“Engine failure during takeoff/loss of directional control on runway”)
6/24 1135Z (0635 local Monday morning): A Be33 “experienced engine issues and landed in a field” at Beatrice, Nebraska. The solo pilot was unhurt and there is no reported airplane damage. N8653M (CD-674) is a 1963 B33.
(“Engine failure in flight”—and apparently a good job of controlling the airplane through landing).
6/30 1615Z (1115 local Sunday morning): A Be36 “crashed in a wooded area for unknown reasons” at Land o’ Lakes, Wisconsin. The two aboard report “minor” injury; there is no report of airplane damage. N47RT (E-3142) is a 1997 A36.
(“Crash/unknown”)
7/1 0115Z (1815 local Sunday evening 6/30): A Be19 “experienced engine issues and crashed in a remote location” near San Bernardino, California. The pilot suffered “minor” damage while a passenger was unhurt. Airplane damage is “substantial.” N6553R (MB-744) is a 1975 B19.
(“Engine failure in flight”; “Substantial damage”)
7/1 2051Z (1651 local Monday afternoon): Landing at Greenville, North Carolina, the nose gear of a Be55 collapsed. The two aboard were unhurt; airplane damage is “minor.” N9308Q (TC-1411) is a 1971 B55.
(“Gear collapse during landing”)
New NTSB reports this week
6/7 fatal V35A-TC engine failure at Arvada, Colorado. From the report:
A Beech V35A…was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Arvada, Colorado. The pilot and 2 passengers sustained serious injuries, and 1 passenger sustained fatal injuries….
…the airplane departed Centennial Airport (APA), Englewood, Colorado…. About 10 minutes after departure…the pilot radioed that he was having engine oil pressure problems and wanted to divert to Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (BJC), Broomfield, Colorado. While enroute to BJC, the pilot attempted a forced landing to a roadway in a residential urban area in Arvada, Colorado. Witnesses in the area saw and heard the airplane. They stated that the airplane was flying low, and the engine did not sound normal. The witnesses described what they thought was white smoke coming from the airplane.
…the airplane’s left wingtip impacted a 30-ft tall tree adjacent to the roadway. Parts of the left wingtip were found in the roadway near the tree. Evidence at the accident site showed that the airplane contacted the roadway, gear up, and slid down the road until it collided with a parked vehicle and came to rest upright in the front yard of a private residence. Ground scars on the roadway were consistent with contact and scraping from the bottom of the fuselage. The distance traveled from the initial impact with the tree to the final resting place was about 400 ft.
…Damages on the of some degree of rotation at the time of impact…. The engine case was intact with no obvious holes or preimpact damage. The oil cap was on and secure. The oil quick drain was found in the closed position and was securely mounted to the oil pan with safety wire present. The propeller was rotated slightly to the left and right to see if the engine was seized. No further rotation was attempted to preserve any internal failure evidence. The engine was retained for further examination.
2024 SUMMARY
Reported Beechcraft piston mishaps, 2024
Total reported: 62 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 25 reports
Operation in IMC: 1 report
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 37 reports
Operation at night: 6 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 0 reports
Fatal accidents: 7 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 15 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 9 reports
BONANZA/BARON Series: 51 reports
By Aircraft Type
Be35 Bonanza 18 reports
Be55 Baron 12 reports
Be36 Bonanza 11 reports
Be33 Debonair/Bonanza 9 reports
Be58 Baron 3 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 19 reports
Operation in IMC: 1 report
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 29 reports
Operation at night: 5 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 0 reports
Fatal accidents: 7 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 9 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 7 reports
PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE
(all subject to update per official findings):
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS 8 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) 2 reports
Stall/spin/Loss of control in flight/Dual instruction 1 report (Be55)
Inflight breakup 1 report (Be35)
Inflight fire
Fire in flight during go-around 1 report (Be35)
Engine failure
Engine failure in flight 1 report (Be35)
Impact during takeoff
Takeoff/unknown/attempt to return to runway 1 report (Be36)
OTHER EVENTS 43 reports
Landing gear related mishaps 22 reports
Gear collapse during landing 8 reports (two Be33s; Be35; Be36; four Be55s)
Gear up landing 7 reports (Be23/24, three Be35s; two Be36s; 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)
Gear up landing after electrical failure 1 report (Be33)
Engine failure 8 reports
Engine failure in flight 3 reports (Be33; two Be35s)
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)
Impact during landing 5 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)
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)
Impact during takeoff 3 reports
Runway overrun/aborted takeoff 1 report (Be58)
Loss of directional control during takeoff/crosswinds 1 report (Be35)
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)
Crash/unknown 1 report (Be36)
BEECH AERO CLUB Series: 11 reports
By Aircraft Type
Be23 Musketeer/Sundowner 4 reports
Be24 Sierra 4 reports
Be76 Duchess 2 reports
Be19 Sport 1 report
Environment
Operation in VMC: 5 reports
Operation in IMC: 0 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 6 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”: 1 report
PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE
(all subject to update per official findings):
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS 0 reports
OTHER EVENTS 11 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 4 reports
Gear collapse during landing 1 report (Be76)
Landing gear mechanical malfunction 1 report (Be24)
Gear up landing 1 report (Be24)
Gear collapse during takeoff 1 report (Be76)
Impact on takeoff 1 report
Engine failure during/immediately after takeoff 1 report (Be24)
Engine failure 1 report
Engine failure in flight 1 report (Be19)
MISCELLANEOUS Models: 3 reports
Be45 (T-34) Mentor 2 reports
Be60 Duke 1 report
Environment
Operation in VMC: 2 reports
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: 1 report
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 1 report
Aircraft “destroyed”: 1 report
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 1 report (Be60)
Asymmetric gear extension/inflight system failure 1 report (Be60)
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.
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