Piston Beechcraft Accidents 9/26/2024 through 10/10/2024
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
9/25 2120Z (1520 local Wednesday afternoon): A Be55 “landed and veered off the runway” at Cedar City, Utah. All three aboard the Baron were uninjured and airplane damage is “minor.” N455Q (TC-1441) is a 1972 B55.
(“Loss of directional control during landing”)
9/30 1822Z (1322 local Monday afternoon): A Be60 “struck a bird in flight and post-flight inspection revealed damage to [the] left wing and left wing de-icer,” at Brownsville, Texas. The solo pilot was unhurt and airplane damage is “unknown.” N767MR (P-531) is a B60 Duke.
(“Bird strike”)
10/1 1805Z (1405 local Tuesday afternoon): The solo pilot of a Be55 died, and the airplane incurred “unknown” damage, when the Baron “crashed under unknown circumstances” at Crystal River, Florida. N5869S (TC-?) was a B55.
(“Crash/unknown”; “Fatal”; “Airplane destroyed”—the Aviation Safety Network reports the airplane was destroyed. Local news sources show the wreckage in a confined area in a flat attitude with visual evidence suggesting rotation at impact, with no obvious tree damage outside the confined area suggesting a vertical impact. Local witnesses report the pilot “called Mayday three times” on Unicom frequency but witnesses did not hear a reason for the Mayday calls.)
10/6 1700Z (1300 local Sunday afternoon): A Be33 “landed and [its] gear collapsed,” at Saginaw, Michigan. The solo pilot was unhurt and airplane damage is “unknown.” N22GD (CD-783) is a 1964 B33 Debonair.
(“Gear collapse during landing”)
10/9 0209Z (2009 local Monday evening 10/8/24): Five aboard a Be55 were killed, and the Baron was “destroyed,” when it “crashed under unknown circumstances” at Avalon, Catalina Island, California. N73WA (TC-1262) was a 1969 B55.
(“Crash/unknown”; “Fatal”; “Airplane destroyed”; “IMC”; “Night”—from the Aviation Safety Network:
ADS-B data shows the airplane climbing to an altitude of about 75 ft agl before it entered a descent just off the departure end of the runway. The last ADS-B return showed an average rate of about -1700 fpm. The nearest weather station was reporting an overcast layer at 700-800 ft. Aircraft was on transponder code 1200 and there was no Instrument Flight plan filed with ATC.
The plane is believed to have taken off from Santa Monica Municipal Airport and landed at the Catalina Airport about 30 miles off the Los Angeles County coast at around 6 p.m. Tuesday. The plane took off again at around 8 p.m., but it was unclear where it was headed. That’s when authorities received the emergency alert.
The FAA Chart Supplement for KAVX includes this note:
AIRPORT REMARKS: Attended 1600–0100Z‡…. Ops prohibited at night or when [the airport] is [unattended].
10/9 1923Z (1523 local Tuesday afternoon): A Be36’s landing gear collapsed during takeoff at Bayport, New York. The two aboard report no injury and airplane damage is “unknown”. N9144Q (E-250) is a 1970 A36.
(“Inadvertent gear retraction during takeoff”—a knowledgeable witness reports that during takeoff on an instructional flight the pilot inexplicably retracted the landing gear before liftoff.)
New NTSB reports this week
9/12 fatal G36 failure to climb after liftoff from Lafayette, Louisiana. From the report:
The airplane had just departed from runway 4R at the Lafayette Regional Airport (LFT), Lafayette, Louisiana. Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data showed that the airplane lifted off the runway and achieved an altitude of about 200 ft above ground level (agl) by the time it reached the departure end of the runway. The airplane then made a slight left turn followed by a right turn before the data ended. The final recorded altitude was 25 ft agl and the last recorded location was about 450 ft from the accident location. The airplane impacted a golf course about 2,000 ft and 15 degrees from the departure end of runway 4R.
Witnesses reported seeing the airplane during the takeoff and reported seeing thick white smoke trailing from the airplane. A surveillance video from LFT showed the airplane as it began its takeoff and white smoke could be seen trailing from the airplane in the video.
The airplane came to rest on a golf course fairway. There were broken tree limbs near the initial impact location. The wreckage debris path was oriented about 60 degree magnetic heading. The wreckage damage was consistent with a right-wing, nose-low impact. The wreckage debris path was about 150 ft from the initial ground scar to the resting pace of the main wreckage. Fire consumed the majority of the fuselage cabin and inboard portions of both wings. The aft fuselage cone and tail surfaces were rotated about 90 degrees to the left. The vertical tail and right horizontal stabilizer remained attached to the aft fuselage. The left horizontal stabilizer was partially separated and folded beneath the aft fuselage. The elevators and rudder were still attached to their respective fixed surfaces.
Remains of both wings were located in their appropriate position relative to the fuselage remains. No evidence of an in-flight failure was noted. Both ailerons remained attached to the wings. The left flap was still attached to the wing. The right flap was almost completely consumed by the fire but the inboard portion remained attached to the wing. The airplane’s flight control system was examined and no evidence of a flight control malfunction was found. The cabin section of the airplane was consumed by fire. Evidence of fire was found on the forward side of the firewall with burning and melting of components adjacent to the firewall.
The engine did not exhibit the same degree of fire damage as the remainder of the airplane
(Change “Takeoff/unknown” to “Loss of control immediately after liftoff” on the basis of the pattern of wreckage described in the report. The white smoke may have been oil.)
2024 SUMMARY
Reported Beechcraft piston mishaps, 2024
Total reported: 112 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 50 reports
Operation in IMC: 3 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 60 reports
Operation at night: 7 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 1 report
Fatal accidents: 16 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 23 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 21 reports
BONANZA/BARON Series: 91 reports
By Aircraft Type
Be35 Bonanza 27 reports
Be55 Baron 22 reports
Be36 Bonanza 19 reports
Be33 Debonair/Bonanza 17 reports
Be58 Baron 9 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 41 reports
Operation in IMC: 4 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 45 reports
Operation at night: 6 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 0 reports
Fatal accidents: 15 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 15 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 19 reports
PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE
(all subject to update per official findings):
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS 16 reports
Loss of Control in Flight (LOC-I) 5 reports
Stall/spin/Loss of control in flight/Dual instruction 1 report (Be55)
Loss of control in flight 1 report (Be55)
Inflight breakup 2 reports (Be35; Be58)
Crash/unknown 1 report (Be55)
Impact during takeoff 4 reports
Takeoff/unknown 2 reports (Be36; Be55)
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
Controlled Flight into Terrain/Probable VFR flight into IMC 1 report (Be35)
Inflight fire
Fire in flight during go-around 1 report (Be35)
OTHER EVENTS 76 reports
Landing gear related mishaps 39 reports
Gear up landing 15 reports (six Be35s; two Be33s; three Be36s; two Be55s; two Be58s)
Gear collapse during landing 12 reports (four Be33s; Be35; Be36; six Be55s)
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 12 reports
Loss of directional control during landing 4 reports (Be33; two Be35s; Be55)
Hard landing 3 reports (two Be35s; Be55)
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)
Windshield separation during pressurized flight 1 report (Be58)
BEECH AERO CLUB Series: 13 reports
By Aircraft Type
Be23 Musketeer/Sundowner 6 reports
Be24 Sierra 4 reports
Be76 Duchess 2 reports
Be19 Sport 1 report
Environment
Operation in VMC: 6 reports
Operation in IMC: 0 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 7 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 12 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 5 reports
Gear collapse during landing 2 reports (Be24; Be76)
Landing gear mechanical malfunction 1 report (Be24)
Gear up landing 1 report (Be24)
Gear collapse during takeoff 1 report (Be76)
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: 10 reports
Be60 Duke 4 reports
Be45 (T-34) Mentor 3 reports
Be17 Staggerwing 2 reports
Be18 Twin Beech 1 report
Environment
Operation in VMC: 5 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 9 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)
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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