Piston Beechcraft Accidents May 9 – May 14, 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
4/17 2040Z (1540 local Thursday afternoon): Taking off from Greenville, South Carolina:
The pilot [of a Be24] reported that there were no engine anomalies noted during the preflight inspection, engine run-up checks, and subsequent takeoff roll for the local flight. During the airplane’s initial climb, at an altitude of about 50 ft above ground level, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. With no remaining runway, the pilot elected to perform a forced landing to a field off the departure end of the runway. During the landing, the pilot banked the airplane to the right to avoid the runway approach lights, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent impact with terrain. The airplane came to rest in an upright position about 730 ft northeast of the runway. The airplane’s fuselage and wings sustained substantial damage. The pilot received minor injuries.
N8060R is an A24R Sierra.
(“Engine failure during/immediately after takeoff”; “Substantial damage”).
5/9 1600Z (1200 local Friday noon): The pilot of a Be55 “declared an emergency” after the “right engine[‘s] propeller separated” in flight. The airplane returned to the airport at Fort Lauderdale. The three aboard escaped injury and airplane damage is “unknown.” N87DP (TC-696) is a 1964 B55.
(“Propeller separation in flight”)
5/13 1700Z (1300 local Tuesday afternoon): A Be35 landed gear up at State College, Pennsylvania. The solo pilot was not hurt and airplane damage is “unknown.” N2840R (D-7221) is a 1963 P35.
(“Gear up landing”)
5/13 1838Z (1138 local Tuesday morning): A Be19 “veered off the runway” during a solo instructional flight at Moses Lake, Washington. The pilot was unhurt and there is no reported airplane damage. N22711 (MB-865) is a 1977 B19 Sport.
(“Loss of directional control during landing”)
New NTSB reports this week
4/17 A24 loss of engine power at 50 feet AGL during takeoff at Greenville, South Carolina, cited above.
2025 SUMMARY
Reported Beechcraft piston mishaps, 2025
Total reported: 46 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 26 reports
Operation in IMC: 3 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 18 reports
Operation at night: 4 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 2 reports
Fatal accidents: 3 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 12 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 6 reports
BONANZA/BARON Series: 39 reports
By Aircraft Type
Be36 Bonanza 18 reports
Be35 Bonanza 7 reports
Be55 Baron 6 reports
Be58 Baron 4 reports
Be33 Debonair/Bonanza 2 reports
Be95 Travel Air 2 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 19 reports
Operation in IMC: 3 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 17 reports
Operation at night: 3 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 2 reports
Fatal accidents: 3 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 9 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 6 reports
PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE
(all subject to update per official findings):
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS 5 reports
Engine failure
Engine failure in flight 1 report (Be35)
Engine failure immediately after takeoff 1 report (Be36)
Fuel starvation 1 report (Be55)
Engine failure in flight/oil loss 1 report (Be36)
Impact during/immediately after takeoff
Loss of control/IFR departure 1 report (Be36)
OTHER EVENTS 34 reports
Landing gear related mishaps 15 reports
Gear collapse during landing 9 reports (two Be35s; two Be36s; two Be55s; two Be58s; Be95)
Gear up landing 5 reports (two Be35s; three Be36s)
Nose wheel separation during landing 1 report (Be33)
Inadvertent gear retraction on the ground/touch and go 1 report (Be35)
Engine failure 9 reports
Engine failure in flight 3 reports (Be33; Be35; Be36)
Engine failure during/immediately after takeoff 2 reports (both Be36s)
Engine failure shortly after takeoff/catastrophic failure 1 report (Be36)
Dual partial power loss/off-airport landing 1 report (Be58)
Engine failure in flight/oil loss 1 report (Be36)
Propeller separation in flight 1 report (Be55)
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)
Taxi into object/other aircraft 1 report (Be36)
BEECH AERO CLUB Series: 7 reports
By Aircraft Type
Be19 Sport 2 reports
Be24 Sierra 2 reports
Be23 Musketeer/Sundowner 1 report
Be76 Duchess 1 report
Be77 Skipper 1 report
Environment
Operation in VMC: 6 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: 0 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 3 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 7 reports
Engine failure 3 reports
Engine failure during/immediately after takeoff 2 reports (Be19; Be24)
Engine failure in flight 1 report (Be24)
Impact during landing 2 reports
Loss of directional control during landing 2 reports (Be19; Be77)
Landing gear related mishaps
Gear up landing 1 report (Be76)
Unknown cause
Off-airport landing/reasons unknown 1 report (Be23)
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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