BEECH WEEKLY ACCIDENT UPDATE

Piston Beechcraft Accidents March 6 – March 19, 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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THE WEEKLY ACCIDENT UPDATE IS AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCT OF MASTERY FLIGHT TRAINING, INC. 

New reports this week

2/10 2145Z (1445 local time Monday afternoon): A student and instructor escaped injury in an off-airport landing along interstate highway I-80 in Skull Valley, Utah. From the NTSB preliminary report:

N9324S (MC-345) is a 1975 B24R.

(“Engine failure in flight”; “Substantial damage”)

2/21 1600Z (1100 local Friday afternoon): While landing at Fort Pierce, Florida, a Be95 “veered off [the] runway…due to gusty winds, damaging the nose gear.” The solo pilot was unhurt; the Travel Air has “minor” damage. N1340Z (TD-474) is a 1961 B95A.

(“Loss of directional control during landing”)

3/9 1930Z (1530 local Sunday afternoon): Five aboard a turboprop-converted A36TC are reported to have “minor” injuries and the airplane was “destroyed” when the Bonanza “crashed shortly after takeoff into a retirement community, striking cars and [erupting into a] post-crash fire” at Lancaster, Pennsylvania. N347M (EA-253) was a 1981 A36TC.

(“Door open after takeoff/descent into terrain”—The Flight Safety Foundation’s Aviation Safety Network provides details:

Forward cabin door opening events are not unique to Beech airplanes, but they are common in Bonanzas and derivative aircraft. An open forward door affects flight characteristics only slightly. Experiencing the scenario is, in my opinion, an essential part of any Bonanza/Debonair/Baron/Travel Air checkout. 

The real hazard of a forward door coming open is pilot distraction. We can train pilots to manage that, including using the pilot isolation switch or pulling out a right seat occupant’s headset plugs to reduce wind noise transmitted to the pilot’s headset. The wild card is what passengers might do when this happens—not necessarily control interference, but the extreme distraction an unnerved passenger (or passengers) might create for the pilot. 

The ASN account suggests the pilot rushed to get the airplane on the ground with very unfavorable winds. Some knowledgeable local sources report the airplane may not have climbed more than 200 feet above ground level before attempting to return to the airport. 

See the video Rite of Passage: Door Open in Flight.

3/10 0311Z (2211 local Sunday night 3/9): The solo pilot of a Be19 escaped serious injury, and damage to the Sport is “unknown,” when the “aircraft experienced engine issues and crashed on a golf course” during a night flight at Rochester, Minnesota. N4784J (MB-220) is a 1967 A23-19.

(“Engine failure shortly after takeoff”; “Substantial damage” [on the basis of unofficial reports]; “Night”—The Aviation Safety Network adds:

3/14 1248Z (0748 local Friday morning): Two aboard a Be36 died “under unknown circumstances” during takeoff from Greenville, North Carolina. The Bonanza was “destroyed.” N566C (E-3621) was a 2005 A36.

(“Loss of control/IFR departure”; “Fatal”; “Airplane destroyed”; “IMC”—ASN reports:

3/15 1800Z (1400 local Saturday afternoon): A Be36 “landed gear up on the runway” at Lincoln, Maine. Both persons aboard were unhurt and the airplane has “minor” damage. N786TS (E-901) is a 1976 A36.

(“Gear up landing”)

3/16 0400Z (2100 local Saturday evening 3/15): A Be55 incurred a bird strike near Van Nuys, California. The pilot received “minor” injuries; two passengers were unhurt. The Baron has “substantial” damage. N994WY (TE-1001) is a 1974 E55.

(“Bird strike”; “Substantial damage”—the pilot describes the event, in which a large bird shattered the Baron’s windscreen, in this television news video).

3/16 2340Z (1740 local Sunday afternoon): A Be35’s landing gear collapsed while touching down at Denver, Colorado. The solo pilot was unhurt; damage is “unknown.” N7987R (D-8975) is a 1969 V35A.

(“Gear collapse during landing”)

New NTSB reports this week 

2/10 B24R engine power loss in cruise flight at Skull Valley, Utah, cited above.

2025 SUMMARY

Reported Beechcraft piston mishaps, 2025

Total reported:  26 reports

Environment

Operation in VMC:  15 reports

Operation in IMC:     3 reports

Weather “unknown” or “not reported”:  9 reports

Operation at night:  4 reports

Most Serious Injury 

“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities):   0 reports

Fatal accidents:   2 reports

Aircraft damage

“Substantial” damage:   8 reports

Aircraft “destroyed”:    4 reports

BONANZA/BARON Series:   24 reports

By Aircraft Type

Be36 Bonanza   11 reports

Be35 Bonanza   5 reports

Be58 Baron   3 reports

Be95 Travel Air  2 reports

Be55 Baron   2 reports

Be33 Debonair/Bonanza   1 report

Environment

Operation in VMC:  12 reports

Operation in IMC:   3 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:  2 reports

Aircraft damage

“Substantial” damage:  6 reports

Aircraft “destroyed”:   4 reports

PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE 

(all subject to update per official findings):

FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS   2 reports

Engine failure

Engine failure in flight   1 report (Be35)

Impact during/immediately after takeoff

Loss of control/IFR departure   1 report (Be36)

OTHER EVENTS    22 reports

Landing gear related mishaps  9 reports

Nose gear collapse during landing   5 reports (two Be35s; Be36; Be58; Be95)

Gear up landing   3 reports (all 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   3 reports

Runway overrun   1 report (Be58)

Landed short   1 report (Be36)

Loss of directional control during landing   1 report (Be95)

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)

Door open after takeoff/descent into terrain   1 report (Be36)

Bird strike   1 report (Be55)

BEECH AERO CLUB Series:   2 reports

By Aircraft Type

Be19 Sport   1 report

Be24 Sierra   1 report

Environment

Operation in VMC:  2 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”:   0 reports

PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE 

(all subject to update per official findings):

FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS   0 reports

OTHER EVENTS    2 reports

Engine failure   2 reports

Engine failure in flight   1 report (Be24)

Engine failure shortly after takeoff   1 report (Be19)

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.

 

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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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.