Piston Beechcraft Accidents February 21 – March 5, 2025
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
2/23 1409Z (0909 local Sunday morning): Two aboard a Be36 escaped injury, despite “substantial” airplane damage, when the Bonanza “struck a snowbank short of the runway” on the ice runway at Alton Bay, New Hampshire. N321TB (E-1998) is/was a 1982 A36.
(“Landed short”; “Substantial damage”—widely distributed video confirms this report from a knowledgeable FLYING LESSONS reader:
Before flying to [Alton Bay], the pilot practiced short field takeoff and landing at (our home base). It was VFR conditions with a west wind of about 10 kts…it appears to be an unstable approach – too low and too slow, or perhaps a misidentified runway end or whiteout. The main gear hit an icy berm prior to the runway which tore off the right gear and spun the aircraft around. No one was hurt (thankful we installed 4 point shoulder harnesses many years ago). We are awaiting the insurance adjuster but are pretty sure the aircraft will be totaled.
3/1 1800Z (1200 local Saturday noon): A Be36 landed gear up at Lawton, Oklahoma. Both persons aboard the “instructional” flight were unhurt; airplane damage is “unknown.” N1134X (E-3074) is a 1997 A36.
(“Gear up landing”)
3/1 2100Z (1400 local Saturday afternoon): A Be35 “veered off the runway during takeoff into snow/mud, damaging [the Bonanza’s] landing gear and prop[eller],” at Kalispell, Montana. All four aboard escaped unhurt and airplane damage is “minor.” N4405A (D-9141) is a 1970 V35B.
(“Loss of directional control during takeoff/contaminated runway”)
3/4 1400Z (0900 local Monday morning): A Be36 landed gear up at Hollywood, Florida. The solo pilot was unhurt and airplane damage is “unknown.” N6727V (EA-378) is a 1983 B36TC.
(“Gear up landing”)
New NTSB reports this week
1/16 N35 fuel starvation on short final during a night landing at Plainview, Texas. From the NTSB Final report:
The pilot reported that while approaching to land he placed the airplane into a slip using right rudder and left aileron in order to lose excess altitude. When the airplane was about 100 ft. above the ground the engine stopped producing power. The pilot suspected that fuel flow to the engine was interrupted because the fuel migrated away from the fuel pickup during the slip resulting in a loss of engine power. He reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane.
Probable Cause and Findings
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be: Fuel starvation due to fuel migration during the pilot induced slipping maneuver.
2/5 58P partial power loss and night off-airport landing at Pine Bluff, Arkansas. From the NTSB Preliminary report:
According to the pilot, the airplane lost partial power to possibly both engines during an instrument approach. He stated that he placed all engine controls full forward, but the engines were still not producing full power. He chose to perform an off field landing due insufficient performance to make the runway. During the off-field landing, the airplane impacted wooded terrain and came to rest upright which resulted in substantial damage to both wings, fuselage, and empennage.
Change “Crash/unknown” to “Dual partial power loss/off-airport landing.”
2025 SUMMARY
Reported Beechcraft piston mishaps, 2025
Total reported: 18 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 8 reports
Operation in IMC: 2 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 9 reports
Operation at night: 3 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 0 reports
Fatal accidents: 1 report
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 5 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 2 reports
BONANZA/BARON Series: 18 reports
By Aircraft Type
Be36 Bonanza 8 reports
Be35 Bonanza 4 reports
Be58 Baron 3 reports
Be33 Debonair/Bonanza 1 report
Be55 Baron 1 report
Be95 Travel Air. 1 report
Environment
Operation in VMC: 7 reports
Operation in IMC: 2 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 9 reports
Operation at night: 3 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 0 reports
Fatal accidents: 1 report
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
Engine failure in flight 1 report (Be35)
OTHER EVENTS 17 reports
Landing gear related mishaps 7 reports
Nose gear collapse during landing 4 reports (Be35; Be36; Be58; Be95)
Gear up landing 2 reports (both Be36s)
Nose wheel separation during landing 1 report (Be33)
Engine failure 5 reports
Engine failure in flight 2 reports (Be35; Be36)
Engine failure during/immediately after takeoff 2 reports (both Be36s)
Dual partial power loss/off-airport landing (Be58)
Impact during landing
Runway overrun 1 report (Be58)
Landed short 1 report (Be36)
Impact during takeoff
Aborted takeoff/runway overrun 1 report (Be55)
Loss of directional control during takeoff/contaminated runway 1 report (Be35)
Miscellaneous
Taxi into object 1 report (Be36)
MISCELLANEOUS Models: 1 report
Be45 Mentor/T-34 1 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 1 report
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: 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 1 report
Landing gear related mishaps
Gear up landing 1 report (Be45)
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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