Piston Beechcraft Accidents September 11 – September 24, 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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From unofficial sources
9/21 1430Z (0930 local Sunday morning): A Be36’s nose gear collapsed during taxi from a grass parking area while transitioning onto a paved taxiway at Wichita, Kansas’ Colonel James Jabara Airport. The pilot and one passenger were unhurt. Airplane damage fits the definition of “minor” but will require propeller replacement and at least an engine tear-down, inspection and reassembly, in addition to nose gear door and other replacements beneath the lower cowling. I unfortunately witnessed this event as the pilot applied power to come up a small rise from the wet parking area and the nose wheel hit the “lip” of pavement at a point where the ground was soft. N999PG (E-2995) is a 1995 A36.
(“Gear collapse during taxi from soft ground onto pavement”—regretfully, the pilot reports the engine only had about 50 hours on it since overhaul. It was sickening to watch it happen from only a few dozen yards away.)
New reports this week
9/4 2100Z (1600 local Thursday afternoon): The solo pilot of a Be35 was not injured, and the Bonanza suffered “minor” damage, when its “cabin door opened after takeoff and [the pilot] returned to the airport, veering off [the] runway [and] striking a hangar” at San Antonio, Texas. N9538R (D-6094) is a 1959 K35.
(“Loss of directional control during the landing roll after open door in flight”—this early September event was not reported until September 22nd).
9/10 1818Z (1318 local Wednesday afternoon): The cabin door of a Be23 “popped open after departure” from South Bend, Indiana. The pilot “landed [and] veered off the runway damaging [the] wings…[the] gear collapsed and [the Sundowner] incurred a prop strike.” The pilot and flight instructor about the “instructional” flight were not hurt and airplane damage is not reported. N997V (M-2234) is a 1979 C23.
(“Loss of directional control during the landing roll after open door in flight”—the Aviation Safety Network reports winds were calm to no more than six knots at the time of the accident).
9/12 1758Z (1258 local Thursday afternoon): A Be24 “landed and ground looped” at Smyrna, Tennessee. The solo pilot reports no injury and airplane damage to the Sierra is “unknown.” N9710Q (MC-66) is a 1970 A24R.
(“Loss of directional control during landing”)
9/18 1550Z (0950 local Thursday morning): A Be33 “experienced engine issues and crashed at a construction site” at Brooksville, Florida. The two aboard were unhurt; the extent of damage is “unknown.” N829T (CD-821) is a 1964 35-C33.
(“Engine failure in flight”—Flightaware shows what looks like a normal sightseeing flight interrupted by a loss of power and descent to a successful landing).
9/19 1700Z (1100 local Friday morning): A Be55 was landing at Brigham City, Utah, when its “right tire came off.” The Baron “veered off the runway and [its landing] gear collapsed incur[ring] a prop strike.” Both persons aboard were unhurt and airplane damage is “unknown.” N1351Z (TC-148) is a 1961 95-55.
(“Loss of directional control during landing/tire separation”)
New NTSB reports this week
8/24 A36 “serious injuries” engine failure during a visual approach to Gulf Shores, Alabama. The report suggests the possibility of fuel exhaustion but other possibilities exist as well. Change “Collision with terrain/trees short of the runway” to “Engine failure during visual approach.” Hopefully we’ll learn more from the final NTSB report.
9/4 fatal K35 engine failure near Cambridge, Minnesota. Initial indications suggest fuel starvation—the fuel selector was found in the auxiliary position, but that might have been an incorrect response to the engine failure or the result of impact forces. Again, all this is very preliminary.
2025 SUMMARY
Reported Beechcraft piston mishaps, 2025
Total reported: 111 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 56 reports
Operation in IMC: 4 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 52 reports
Operation at night: 6 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 6 reports
Fatal accidents: 12 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 18 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 22 reports
BONANZA/BARON Series: 98 reports
By Aircraft Type
Be36 Bonanza 32 reports
Be35 Bonanza 30 reports
Be55 Baron 16 reports
Be33 Debonair/Bonanza 11 reports
Be58 Baron 6 reports
Be95 Travel Air 3 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 45 reports
Operation in IMC: 4 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 47 reports
Operation at night: 5 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 6 reports
Fatal accidents: 12 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 14 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 22 reports
PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE
(all subject to update per official findings):
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS 18 reports
Engine failure 8 reports
Engine failure in flight/oil loss 2 reports (both Be36s)
Engine failure in flight 1 report (Be35)
Engine failure immediately after takeoff 1 report (Be36)
Fuel starvation 1 report (Be55)
Partial power loss/off-airport landing 1 report (Be36)
Engine failure during visual approach 1 report (Be36)
Partial power loss shortly after takeoff/attempted return 1 report (Be33)
Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT) 3 reports
Controlled flight into terrain/mountains 2 reports (both Be35s)
Controlled Flight into Terrain/thunderstorms 1 report (Be58)
Impact during/immediately after takeoff 2 reports
Loss of control/IFR departure 1 report (Be36)
Loss of control in flight/door open after takeoff 1 report (Be55)
Impact during landing 1 reports
Loss of directional control/visual landing 1 report (Be55)
Unknown 4 reports
Go-around/unknown 2 reports (both Be35s)
Takeoff/unknown 1 report (Be35)
Crash/unknown 1 report (Be33)
OTHER EVENTS 78 reports
Landing gear related mishaps 36 reports
Gear collapse during landing 14 reports (Be33; Be35; two Be36s; three Be55s; two Be58s; Be95)
Gear up landing 13 reports (five Be35s; Be33; five Be36s; Be55; Be58)
Gear up landing/mechanical failure 2 reports (Be36; Be95)
Nose wheel separation during landing 1 report (Be33)
Inadvertent gear retraction on the ground/touch and go 1 report (Be35)
Gear collapse during takeoff 1 report (Be55)
Gear up landing/electrical failure 1 report (Be55)
Gear collapse during landing/alternator failure 1 report (Be35)
Inadvertent gear retraction during landing 1 report (Be35)
Gear collapse during taxi from soft ground onto pavement 1 report (Be36)
Engine failure 22 reports
Engine failure in flight 10 reports (three Be33s; six Be35s; Be36)
Engine failure during/immediately after takeoff 4 reports (Be33; two Be36s; Be55)
Engine failure shortly after takeoff/catastrophic failure 1 report (Be36)
Partial power loss immediately after takeoff
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)
Engine failure during landing 1 report (Be36)
Engine failure during approach/landing 1 report (Be35)
Engine fire during takeoff/abort/gear up landing 1 report (Be36)
Impact during landing 8 reports
Landed short 2 reports (both Be36s)
Runway overrun 1 report (Be58)
Loss of directional control during landing 1 report (Be95)
Propeller strike during landing 1 report (Be55)
Go-around/collision with obstruction 1 report (Be35)
Loss of directional control during the landing roll after open door in flight 1 report (Be33)
Loss of directional control during landing/tire separation 1 report (Be55)
Impact during takeoff 5 reports
Aborted takeoff/runway overrun 1 report (Be55)
Loss of directional control during takeoff 1 report (Be33)
Loss of directional control during takeoff/contaminated runway 1 report (Be35)
Collision with obstacles during takeoff 1 report (Be35)
Collision with obstacles/trees at the end of the runway 1 report (Be36)
Miscellaneous
Taxi into aircraft/object 2 reports (both Be36s)
Door open after takeoff/descent into terrain 1 report (Be36)
Bird strike 1 report (Be55)
Taxi into object/other aircraft 1 report (Be36)
Takeoff with tow bar attached 1 report (Be35)
Exit window detached in flight 1 report (Be36)
Struck by taxiing aircraft while parked 1 report (Be35)
BEECH AERO CLUB Series: 14 reports
By Aircraft Type
Be19 Sport 4 reports
Be76 Duchess 3 reports
Be24 Sierra 3 reports
Be23 Musketeer/Sundowner 3 reports
Be77 Skipper 1 report
Environment
Operation in VMC: 9 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: 0 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 4 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 14 reports
Impact during landing 7 reports
Loss of directional control during landing 4 reports (two Be19s; Be24; Be77)
Hard landing 2 reports (Be19; Be76)
Loss of directional control during the landing roll after open door in flight 1 report (Be23)
Engine failure 3 reports
Engine failure during/immediately after takeoff 2 reports (Be19; Be24)
Engine failure in flight 1 report (Be24)
Landing gear related mishaps 2 reports
Gear up landing 1 report (Be76)
Gear collapse during landing 1 report (Be76)
Impact during takeoff
Loss of directional control during takeoff 1 report (Be23)
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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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.