Piston Beechcraft Accidents 12/5/2024 through 12/31/2024
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
12/18 1654Z (1254 local Wednesday afternoon): A Be35 “experienced a problem retracting the gear on climbout” from Romeoville, Illinois. The pilot “returned for landing and the gear collapsed.” The solo pilot was not hurt and airplane damage is “unknown.” N2795V (D-190) is a 1947 Model 35.
(“Gear collapse on landing after gear retraction problem”—possibilities include an electrical problem that would have been correctable by a complete landing gear extension procedure, and pushrod/rod end/gear transmission/seized gear motor or other physical issues that may not have been correctable in flight. The Aviation Safety Network provides additional clues that suggest some version of the “uncorrectable” scenario:
While flying in the pattern, the pilot reported a landing gear issue. The left landing gear made a metallic sound on one landing. After attempting to cycle the gear up and down several times, the tower controller declared an emergency on behalf of the pilot. He made several more circuits in the pattern while attempting to remedy the situation. The tower controller reported the gear appears to be down. The delay in landing also allowed ARFF to arrive at the airport. On the final pass, the pilot executed the landing. Gear still appeared down. Upon touchdown, the gear collapsed, resulting in a prop strike and significant damage to the aircraft.)
12/19 1636Z (1136 local Thursday morning): The solo pilot of a Be36 died, and the A36TC suffered “unknown” damage, when it “crashed under unknown circumstances” at Buffalo, New York. N36WP (EA-13) was a 1979 A36TC.
(“Partial power loss in flight” [more to follow]; “Fatal”; “Airplane destroyed”—ASN reports:
The aircraft departed Lansing, Michigan, at 09:53 LT. The aircraft then climbed to an altitude of about 12500 feet and proceeded towards the destination Westchester County Airport (HPN/KHPN), White Plains, New York. At 11:11 LT, the aircraft turned north and began to descend until it impacted terrain near East Aurora, New York, after trying to divert to Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF/KBUF), New York. The pilot reported “very low power” in the engine to ATC. Towards the end of the recording, the controller tried to vector the pilot to land on a highway, which he was complying with normally until radar contact was lost.
There was an active G-AIRMET for icing between 12000-14000 ft for the accident area. Weather:
METAR KELM 191553Z 10SM BKN037 02/M05 A3028 RMK AO2 SLP262 T00171050
METAR KELM 191653Z 32006KT 10SM OVC043 01/M06 A3027 RMK AO2 SLP260 T00111056
METAR KELM 191753Z 29005KT 10SM OVC033 01/M04 A3028 RMK AO2 SLP263 60000 T00111044 10017 20006 55001
ASN also reports the Bonanza was “destroyed.” A possibly pertinent type-specific tidbit about factory turbocharged Bonanzas: like most fuel injected engines, the A36TC’s TSIO-520-UB has an alternate induction air door in the induction system. Located aft of the inlet air filter and ahead of the turbocharger compressor, the alternate air door opens automatically if the inlet if blocked, for example, if the filter is covered by ice or impact snow. When the door is open ambient air from the cowling is drawn into the induction manifold providing air for turbo compression and engine combustion. The pilot has a backup alternate air “pull and release” handle to pop the door open if for any reason it does not open automatically.
In normally aspirated Bonanzas (and turbonormalized conversions of normally aspirated engines) the alternate air door is immediately aft of the air filter on the bottom of the engine compartment. By design air pressure is lower there, below the air baffles, to draw cooling air around the cylinders. If the alternate air door opens the available air pressure causes the manifold pressure to drop slightly, about one-half inch of mercury. The alternate air door in A36TCs/B36TCs, however, is located in the back of the engine behind the engine baffles—still in the low-pressure area of the cowling—but above the turbocharger, where air pressure is reduced even more by heat. There’s nothing in the manufacturers’ documentation that addresses this, but I’ve spoken with pilots of 36TCs who’ve told me they entered icing or wet snow conditions that obstructed the air filter and caused the alternate air door to open. These pilots report, however, that the loss of manifold pressure is four or five inches. In addition to the power loss created by the loss of induction air, the typical fuel flow of a turbocharged engine—which does not decrease when the air pressure drops—creates an excessively rich mixture that reduces power output even more. Some power can be restored by aggressively leaning the mixture, but even at optimal power drops 20% or more.
Might entering known icing conditions caused blockage of the inlet air filter, opening of the alternate air door and substantial power loss have been the partial power loss reported by the pilot, a condition that could have been partly rectified by leaning the mixture? It will be very hard for investigators to confirm or refute this possibility if no clear causal factors are found.
12/19 2200Z (1600 local Thursday afternoon): A Be95 landed gear up at Murray, Kentucky. The solo pilot escaped injury despite “substantial” airplane damage. N755RP (TD-487) is a 1961 B95A.
(“Gear up landing”; “Substantial damage”)
12/20 1740Z (1240 local Friday afternoon): A Be95 “experienced engine issues and landed on an interstate [highway]” at Bethlehem, New York. All three aboard were unhurt; airplane damage is “unknown.” N661Q (TD-214) is a 1959 Model 95.
(“Engine failure in flight”; “IMC”—ASN again:
The aircraft was en-route to (KDDH), Bennington, VT and appears to have initiated a diversion to Albany Airport, NY (KALB) before it landed on the road, about 7 1/2 miles south of the Albany airport, (KALB).
Some unconfirmed reports state the airplane was forced down by ice accumulation).
12/26 2358Z (1858 local Thursday evening): Two aboard a Be76 suffered “minor” injuries and the Duchess received “substantial” damage after the airplane “experienced engine issues” and “struck a power line and crashed in a parking lot” near Melbourne, Florida. N76NN (ME-158) was a 1979 Duchess.
(“Fuel exhaustion [more momentarily]; “Airplane destroyed”; “Night”—local reports agree the pilot had declared a “low fuel emergency” near the end of a three-hour instructional flight before attempting to divert to a small grass strip about five miles from the intended destination, the airplane’s base at Melbourne. The Duchess struck a power line, “did a 360 degree loop” and slammed to the ground on its main gear, and was “totaled” according to reports.)
12/27 2325Z (1825 local Friday evening): A Be58 landed gear up during a night arrival at Florence, South Carolina. All six aboard the Baron escaped injury despite “substantial” airplane damage. N458K (TH-452) is a 1974 Baron 58.
(“Gear up landing”; “Night”)
New NTSB reports this week
11/18 “serious injuries” A36 stall during an attempted go-around at Doylestown, Pennsylvania. From the NTSB preliminary report:
According to the pilot-rated passenger, he was interested in purchasing a share of the airplane and the purpose of the flight was to demonstrate the airplane’s flight characteristics. During the flight, the airplane performed normally with no anomalies noted by the pilot or the pilot- rated passenger. After performing some maneuvers in the local area, they elected to return to the Doylestown Airport (DYL), Doylestown, PA.
The pilot reported that they entered the airport traffic pattern at an altitude of 1,400 ft mean sea level, the pilot then extended the landing gear and extended one “notch” of flaps. After turning from the base to the final leg of the traffic pattern, the pilot ensured that the landing gear was down, the flaps were set to full, and the mixture and propeller controls were full forward. During the landing flare, the pilot reported the airplane “ballooned” to about 20 ft in the air. The pilot decided to perform a go-around and he pushed the throttle control in for full power and began to retract the flaps and the landing gear. Shortly after beginning the go- around, the pilot felt the airplane “drop out from under me.” The airplane descended and impacted the ground to the left of the runway and continued to slide onto the ramp where it impacted a parked and unoccupied airplane. The accident airplane’s fuselage and left wing were substantially damaged.
An airport surveillance camera recorded video of the accident sequence. As the airplane came into view, the airplane was in a shallow climb and the landing gear was retracted. The airplane then began to descend, and the wings rocked to the left and right while the airplane started to deviate to the left of the runway. As the airplane neared the ground, its nose pitched up before the airplane impacted a grass area between the runway and the taxiway.
12/1 35-33 fuel starvation and off-airport landing at Wilcox, Arizona. From the NTSB preliminary report:
The pilot reported that after practicing steep turns and stalls, he descended to 7,200 ft mean sea level to practice GPS approach procedures at the Cochise County Airport (P33), Willcox, Arizona. During the pre-landing checklist, the pilot switched the fuel selector valve from the left to the right wing tank and a few seconds later the engine lost power. The pilot switched back to the left tank and checked the mixture control position. He turned on the fuel boost pump for 5 seconds and switched fuel tank positions again, however, was unable to restore engine power. The pilot initiated a forced landing as he extended the flaps and retracted the landing gear due to the terrain and vegetation. The airplane landed and slid about 260 ft on desert terrain sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage.
The pilot also reported that the onboard instrumentation indicated that the left wing fuel tank had 12 gallons and the right wing fuel tank had 22 gallons at the time the engine lost power.
(Change “Engine failure in flight/possible fuel starvation” to “Fuel starvation” and add “Substantial damage”)
2024 SUMMARY
Reported Beechcraft piston mishaps, 2024
Total reported: 139 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 65 reports
Operation in IMC: 4 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 72 reports
Operation at night: 11 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 2 reports
Fatal accidents: 19 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 29 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 25 reports
BONANZA/BARON Series: 115 reports
By Aircraft Type
Be35 Bonanza 32 reports
Be36 Bonanza 25 reports
Be55 Baron 24 reports
Be33 Debonair/Bonanza 19 reports
Be58 Baron 14 reports
Be95 Travel Air 4 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 53 reports
Operation in IMC: 5 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 56 reports
Operation at night: 8 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 1 report
Fatal accidents: 18 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 21 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 22 reports
PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE
(all subject to update per official findings):
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS 20 reports
Loss of Control in Flight (LOC-I) 6 reports
Loss of control in flight 2 reports (both Be55s)
Inflight breakup 2 reports (Be35; Be58)
Stall/spin/Loss of control in flight/dual instruction 1 report (Be55)
Stall during an attempted go-around 1 report (Be36)
Loss of control in flight/trim issue 1 report (Be58)
Impact during takeoff 3 reports
Takeoff/unknown 1 report (Be36)
Takeoff/unknown/attempt to return to runway 1 report (Be36)
Loss of directional control during takeoff 1 report (Be33)
Engine failure 3 reports
Engine failure in flight 1 report (Be35)
Engine failure immediately after takeoff/ attempt to return to runway 1 report (Be36)
Partial power loss in flight 1 report (Be36)
Impact during landing 2 reports
Collision with obstacle during landing 1 report (Be55)
Landed short/Collided with vehicle on ground 1 report (Be55)
Controlled Flight into Terrain 2 reports
Controlled Flight into Terrain/Probable VFR flight into IMC 1 report (Be35)
Controlled Flight into Terrain/Descended level into terrain/Night takeoff 1 report (Be55)
Inflight fire
Fire in flight during go-around 1 report (Be35)
Crash/unknown
Crash in cruise flight under unknown circumstances 1 report (Be33)
OTHER EVENTS 96 reports
Landing gear related mishaps 49 reports
Gear up landing 23 reports (eight Be35s; two Be33s; five Be36s; three Be55s; four Be58s; Be95)
Gear collapse during landing 13 reports (four Be33s; Be35; Be36; six Be55s; Be95)
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)
Gear collapse on landing after gear retraction problem 1 report (Be35)
Engine failure 17 reports
Engine failure in flight 7 reports (two Be33s; three Be35s; Be36; Be95)
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 immediately after takeoff 1 report (Be58)
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)
Fuel starvation 1 report (Be33)
Impact during landing 14 reports
Loss of directional control during landing 4 reports (Be33; two Be35s; Be55)
Hard landing 4 reports (two Be35s; Be55; Be58)
Struck object/animal during landing 2 reports (Be36; Be95)
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)
Taxiway excursion at night 2 reports (Be35; Be36)
Severe turbulence/hail encounter 1 report (Be58)
Cowling came off in flight 1 report (Be36)
Taxi into obstacle/aircraft 1 report (Be33)
Struck by taxiing aircraft 1 report (Be35)
Struck by vehicle on the ground 1 report (Be55)
Windshield separation during pressurized flight 1 report (Be58)
Precautionary landing/fuel cap open 1 report (Be36)
BEECH AERO CLUB Series: 15 reports
By Aircraft Type
Be23 Musketeer/Sundowner 6 reports
Be24 Sierra 4 reports
Be76 Duchess 4 reports
Be19 Sport 1 report
Environment
Operation in VMC: 7 reports
Operation in IMC: 0 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 8 reports
Operation at night: 1 report
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 1 report
Fatal accidents: 0 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 5 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 2 reports
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 14 reports
Landing gear mishaps 6 reports
Gear up landing 2 reports (Be24; Be76)
Gear collapse during landing 2 reports (Be24; Be76)
Landing gear mechanical malfunction 1 report (Be24)
Gear collapse during takeoff 1 report (Be76)
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)
Engine failure 3 reports
Engine failure in flight 1 report (Be19)
Engine failure on final approach 1 report (Be23)
Fuel exhaustion 1 report (Be76)
Impact on takeoff 1 report
Engine failure during/immediately after takeoff 1 report (Be24)
MISCELLANEOUS Models: 11 reports
Be60 Duke 4 reports
Be45 (T-34) Mentor 3 reports
Be17 Staggerwing 2 reports
Be18 Twin Beech 1 report
Be50 Twin Bonanza 1 report
Environment
Operation in VMC: 6 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 10 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)
Gear collapse during landing 1 report (Be50)
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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